Promises Are Made For Keeping - EAF Part 2
by Skittles1
Summary: Sequel to Bishonen of February. The wedding is finally happening but a mysterious girl shows up to plauge doubt into Kina and Yue's mind Is this girl linked to Yue's past? Will they get married? Will it end with both of them alive? (Nuri/Hori) COMPLETE
1. Tiger On The Prowl

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"I never imagined I could possibly be a grandfather!" Nuriko swept away the tears from the corner of his eyes.  
  
"Nuri, we're not related to Kina." Hotohori annoyingly rolled his eyes. Nuriko had been like this ever since the proposal. Giggling could be heard from outside where the two love birds where having a picnic. Yue had proposed to Kina a month ago and the engaged couple where still trying to agree on a wedding date.  
  
"How about in July?" Kina swallowed a strawberry and then licked the juice off of her fingers.  
  
"Four months from now? Yeah I guess or how about in June, it's sooner than July." The white-haired bishonen smiled happily.  
  
"I like July, that was when my parents where married."  
  
"Ok, so July it is. Now for the date, how about on July 24rd?"  
  
"Hmmm, maybe. Let's check out if they have weather predictions for that day, although I doubt it. I want it to be sunny outside." Kina picked up her bag of bridal magazines and looked began to dig through the pages to see if it said anything about wedding dates.  
  
~*~  
  
The red began to blur her vision, tinting everything a bloody red as fury swept through her body causing her to tremble, "GET ME MY DRINK!" Her voice rang out sharply as she screamed at her waiter, "You incompetent boy! Why don't you just go jump off a bridge, you'd be doing something useful then!!!" The waiter turn and ran off to get the drink as the boy forced himself to hold in tears, it was his first day on the job and already people where yelling at him. But this girl was so strange; she was so cold and heartless.  
  
"Stupid waiter!" The girl slammed her fist down on the table then immediately picked up a newspaper that she had brought with her. As she opened it a small section of it fell to the floor causing pages to go flying. The red anger fogged her vision again as she wrestled to get the papers back together but something caught her eye. In large black lettering across the top it said, "Girls Heart Disease Miraculously Healed" But the article did not interest her, it was the tiny picture near the bottom. It was a picture of Kina smiling in the center surrounded by Nuriko, Hotohori, Shiva, Arashi, Chichiri, Mitsukake, Yue and two kittens. She didn't know the other people but one of them stood out plainly to her. That bishonen, was his name Yue? She knew him! Remembrance flashed in her mind as the red mist turned crimson. He was the one, the one she wanted. The one she had been looking for so long ago. A contorted smile crossed her face, "I've been looking for you Yue." She stood up and stalked out of the restaurant carrying the article. She held out her hand so that the rough, cement wall would sharpen her fingernails to a point then she brushed her midnight black hair behind her ear. She was a sight to see. Her hair was a dark shade of black and it was about an inch past her shoulders. It was held back with a black headband that blended in with her hair while her eyes where an emotionless color of gray. Bangs fell in front of her eyes but she didn't care. Tall black leather boots came up to her knee revealing her pale skin that showed before you came to her black mini-skirt. She was then wearing a strange purple colored shirt that was a halter top. Over that she had on a see-through gray jacket that trailed down to her ankles. Her pale skin caused her red lips to stand out. Her mouth grinned again as she muttered to herself, "You better look out Yue, because Tigress is coming after you." She liked the ring of Tigress; she had always hated her real name so a few years ago she changed it to Tigress. It made her sound mysterious and cruel. Which she was. After she looked at the article a few times, she discovered the town in which Kina lived in, "Just look at how he's smiling at her. If she's there, he's bound to be there too." Red began to take over her vision again as she bought a train ticket and laughed to herself.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Look at all of these wedding gowns!" Kina walked into her room and threw the magazines onto the floor by Shiva's sleeping bag. She was still asleep, wrapped up in her sleeping bag like a caterpillar in a cocoon. "Wake up!"  
  
"Super Spoon!!!" Shiva yelped as her dreams shattered in her mind and Kina laughed down at her, "Good morning to you too." Shiva grumbled, anger from her violent wake up.  
  
"Morning? It's past lunchtime! Yue and I agreed on the date, July 24th!"  
  
"Good for you." Shiva pulled her sleeping bag over her head.  
  
"We need to look some more!" Kina pulled the bag down again and waved magazines in Shiva's face. After Kina had performed the Celestial Star Wave and recovered Shiva had gone back to Kina's home and was staying there for a while to help with arranging the wedding. Because Kina's parents where 'gone' she was going to help with things after they all pulled their budgets together that is.  
  
"Fine." Shiva grumbled and climbed out of her warm haven to feel the cold air slap her awake, "But only because you're my friend!"  
  
Kina smirked, "Thanks." She replied as she moved her 'winner' bottle cap over to her dresser. "So do you want to go to the bakery and look at cake patterns?" Kina was not only offering to look at cakes but also the promising chance of buying some cookies or yummy delicacies.  
  
"YEAH!" Shiva grabbed the nearest article of clothing that belonged to her and sprinted to the bathroom to get changed.  
  
"Glad we can agree on that." Kina sauntered into the kitchen and began singing a tune she had often heard played on the radio when she was younger. It reminded her of Yue. Her voice rang out clearly but softly as her it struck the first note, "From the moment I wake up, before I put on my make up. I say a little prayer for you. While I'm combing my hair now, wondering what dress to wear now. I say a little prayer for you. Forever and ever you'll stay in my heart and I will love you. Forever and ever we never will part. Oh how I love you. Together that's how it must be. To live without you would only mean heartbreak for me."  
  
Yue's face grew tender as he walked into the kitchen and he had heard Kina singing. But he had heard that song before when he was younger. A friend of his had taught him it, what was her name? It didn't matter much though. Before he knew it, he was singing the next verse.  
  
Kina blushed in surprise as Yue joined in on her singing, "I'm waiting in line for the bus dear, while riding I think of us dear. I say a little prayer for you. At work I just take time, and all through my coffee break time. I say a little prayer for you. Forever and ever you'll stay in my heart and I will love you. Forever and ever we never will part. Oh how I love you. Together that's how it must be. To live without you would only mean heartbreak for me."  
  
It was Kina's turn to sing again, "My darling believe me, for me there is no one else but you. Please love me too. I'm in love with you. Answer my prayer baby. Say you love me too. Answer my prayer. Forever and ever you'll stay in my heart and I will love you. Forever and ever we'll never part. Oh how I love you. Together, that's how it must be. To live without you would only mean heartbreak for me. My darling believe me, for me there is no one else but you. Please love me too. Answer my prayer."  
  
She leaned towards him and their lips brushed for a moment then they both blushed, "Shiva and I are going out to the bakery to look at cakes, I'll bring some pictures of our top choices home ok?"  
  
"Sure. Bring some cookies home!" Nuriko popped in between the two, "Aww they are sooooo cute!" He squealed.  
  
"Nuri." Hotohori walked into the room, yet again looking annoyed, "Leave them alone. Sorry you two, I'll remember to chain him up next time."  
  
"What's wrooooong Hori darling? It's just so romantic!"  
  
"Yeah, romantic."  
  
"I wish someone would be romantic with me too." Nuriko frowned and pushed at a small dust bunny on the floor.  
  
"Oh? Am I not romantic enough for you Nuri?" Hotohori raised an eyebrow.  
  
"No!" Nuriko snapped, "I just think it would be nice to feel appreciated."  
  
"Well you're appreciated." Hotohori smiled.  
  
"I appreciate you too!" Nuriko hugged his friend. 


	2. Trouble's Baking

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The train neared the stage and with a sudden jerk it came to a stop. As Tigress broke free of the people she muttered to herself, "Stupid people, my gosh, they pack you in like sardines. I hate trains." Her boots make clicking noises as she walked through the polished floors and out into the muddy street, "Now let's find you, my little friend. I hope you didn't forget about me." She laughed as thoughts of revenge raiding her mind, "Hmm, the town doesn't seem so big. I'll ask around or keep an eye out. Excuse me?" Tigress' finger found itself on a woman's shoulder, "Do you know where a girl by the name Kina lives?"  
  
The burly woman turned around and smiled cheerfully, trying to hide the shock of how strange this girl was, "Oh yes! Everybody knows Kina. Her house is about two miles down this street, make a left and down straight for three miles, make a right and then another right and you'll see some apartment buildings. She's on the second one."  
  
"Thank you." Tigress turned around and ignored the woman's reply of 'you're welcome.'  
  
~*~  
  
"Crap! There are so many cakes!" Kina yelled as the stress of arranging a wedding began to hit her hard.  
  
"Just pick out one you like." Shiva tried to comfort her friend but her gaze was wandering at all the foods.  
  
"But I like them all!"  
  
"Oh come on, just look around and pick the one you like the most."  
  
"Shiva!! SHIVA! I still need to get a dress, get braids maid dresses, pick flower arrangements, pick out food, buy and send out invitations, arrange a place to hold the wedding and the reception, and so much more!" Kina's hands flew to her head, "It's too much!"  
  
"Don't worry, I've got it all covered." Shiva slyly smirked, "I called Arashi and she's on her way here. Us three girls can get this all done! Plus, the bishonen can help, and I've already arranged your Girl's party!"  
  
"My what party?" She raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You know, one of those parties you have before a wedding. It'll be us three girls, tons of soda and goodies, find a few hot guys."  
  
"I already have my hot guy." Kina crossed her arm, thinking about Yue.  
  
"Oh, who?" Shiva smugly looked at Kina.  
  
"Yue! Duh!"  
  
"Well, I'm single so I'll have to find a hot guy!"  
  
Kina's eyes looked over the cakes, and then something caught her eye in the back of the bakery.  
  
"Excuse me, can I see that cake?" She polity asked the baker.  
  
"Sure my dear!" The baker turned around to bring the cake out; he looked like a round dough ball. He was plump and had a big, curly mustache. He wheeled out the cake as Kina began to freak out.  
  
"THAT'S THE ONE!!!!" She grabbed onto Shiva's hands and jumped up and down, "I'll take it!!!" She quickly regained her composure and began to tell the baker when she would need it, a freshly baked one of course. The cake was made out of eight layers; each smeared over with snow-white icing. Along the edge, light yellow icing frilled in swirls and all kinds of shapes. In each corner immense light orange flowers bloomed out of the white icing. On the top a candy white heart circled around a plastic figurine of a woman in a wedding dress and a man in a tuxedo with his arm around her waist, "And I'll take this one for the figurines!" She pointed to a figurine that had a startling resemblance of Kina and Yue while getting out money to pay. The woman had red hair while the man had silvery-white hair.  
  
"BANG!" A loud noise startled the two friends as a pale girl slammed the bakery door behind her.  
  
"I can't believe I'm lost again!!!" The girl narrowed her eyes to find a suitable person to ask for directions, "Stupid old woman gave me the wrong directions!" The red mist filled her eyes but she forced it to fade.  
  
"What's with her?" Kina whispered to Shiva.  
  
"I don't know." They both looked at the angry girl that was pacing around looking, how would you say, very-ticked-off. The girl turned and looked at them, which made them quickly turn away.  
  
Muttering to herself, Tigress walked up to the two perky looking girls that had just been staring at her. Putting an icy hand on them, she tapped them with her pointed nail.  
  
"Hello." Kina turned around and plastered a grin on her face.  
  
"Hi!" Shiva said, looking as phony as Kina.  
  
"Do you have a problem with me?" Tigress narrowed her eyes so it gave her a cruel appearance.  
  
"Problem, no, no problem here! Right Kina?" Shiva turned to Kina.  
  
"Nope, none at all!"  
  
"WHAT did you say?!" Tigress hissed at the brown-haired girl that was sporting glasses.  
  
"M..me..e?" Shiva stuttered.  
  
"No, I was asking the cake! YES, YOU!" Tigress mocked the girl as red began to blur her vision.  
  
"I said, Problem, no problem here." Shiva recalled her words.  
  
"NO BEFORE THAT!" Tigress slammed her fist onto the wall next to her, causing the two girls to jump.  
  
"I said, right Kina."  
  
"Yes. That wasn't too hard now was it? Who is Kina?!" Tigress was finally getting somewhere.  
  
"She is!" Shiva quickly pointed at the redhead next to her, relieved the woman wasn't going to pester her anymore.  
  
"Thanks Shiva." Kina grumbled at her friend as Shiva inched away from Tigress.  
  
"Do you know a man by the name of Yue?" Tigress stepped closer to Kina, backing her into a corner.  
  
"Y..y..yes. Why? We're engaged." Kina tried to make herself appear large except the girls boots caused her to appear almost six feet tall. Her hand began to tremble, causing her wallet to drop from her grip onto the floor.  
  
Tigress felt her heart stop beating for a moment as her skin paled but she did a good job of hiding the shock. Dark, crimson red filled her eyes. She couldn't see as anger filled her body causing her to tremble. She reached for the edge of the table as her grip steadied.  
  
"You don't think she's going to...?" Shiva crept over to Kina, grabbing her arm and yanking her towards the door.  
  
"HEY! You break, you buy!" The baker quickly walked out from behind the shop but it happened before he could do anything.  
  
"H..E...'.S...WHAT?!?!?!!?!" Her arms jerked upward as her muscles tightened, as if in slow motion the table flung into the air. Utensils and pastries went flying everywhere, smashing into the floor. The table crashed to the floor, everything was in a mess. Tigress clenched her hands into a tight fist, reached down and grabbed Kina's wallet. With all the commotion going on, no one noticed. Tigress then ran out of the bakery before the mad baker could make her pay for everything.  
  
"Keep your cool Tigress! You can't blow your cover, you've got to blend in or else it's all over. Your plan will fail if you have more outbursts like that." Tigress kept telling herself. Grinning, she pulled out Kina's wallet that she had stolen while talking to her, "I don't think that little brat will even notice it gone." Her fingers went over the items. Inside there was a credit card, some money; ah here is what she needed. Her home address.  
  
~*~  
  
Kina and Shiva where both shaking, "Who was that girl?" Kina turned towards Shiva.  
  
"How am I suppose to know?" Shiva looked at the cement pathway. She had no idea where they where going, they where just wandering around in a stunned daze.  
  
"Well, she was obviously mad when I mentioned Yue and plus, she was looking for him. So if we want answers, I guess we should find him." Kina's eyes narrowed as she grabbed Shiva's hand, pulling her towards her apartment.  
  
~*~  
  
"Oh yes she'll be so happy that you found her wallet! Can I get you a drink? Something to eat?" Yue closed the door behind him as Tigress walked into the apartment. 


	3. Stolen Stares and Ice Cold Threats

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"It's kind of ironic, I saw your ad in the paper so I figured I'd try out for the job also." Tigress smiled, she was so glad she had taken classes for acting.  
  
"Oh yeah! It's going to be a surprise for Kina." The silver-haired bishonen brought a cup of coca over to the table for Tigress, "I'm lucky Nuriko and Hotohori are out today, it's a surprise for them also. They've done so much for me I don't know how to repay them. We can just wait until Kina gets home."  
  
"I can't believe he doesn't recognize me. Oh well, that's good, right?" Tigress thought to herself but her thoughts where stopped as the front door slammed open then shut.  
  
"YUE!!!" Kina's voice echoed through the apartment as Kina and Shiva trampled into the kitchen.  
  
"AHH IT'S HER!!" Shiva jumped back and screamed.  
  
"Hey, that's not how we greet a guest. What do you mean 'it's her'?" Yue stood up with a clueless expression on his face.  
  
Kina backed up behind Shiva, "She was looking for you at the bakery and she yelled at me! And threw a table then ran off!!"  
  
Yue looked at the girl, "Is this true?"  
  
"Wait a minute, what is she doing here?" Kina ran up to Tigress, getting into her face, "This is my house!" But a paper was immediately shoved into Kina's face, "What the--!"  
  
"I want to be hired as your house keeper." Tigress pointed to the ad that had been placed in the paper by Yue.  
  
"But I never put that in there." Kina grabbed the paper and stared at the ad.  
  
"I did, it was going to be a surprise! I figured I could hire a house keeper for you and then it'll give Nuriko and Hotohori a break, you and I can work on arranging the wedding and things would be a little easier." Yue smiled, "Surprise!"  
  
"Great surprise." Shiva grumbled, "I still said you should have stuck with jewelry or at least candy!"  
  
Kina's gaze went from Yue to Tigress, "Thanks." She tried to forge a smile but she didn't trust this Tigress, "Aren't there any other house keepers?"  
  
"So far no one has applied and I placed the ad in a week ago. And she brought back your wallet." Yue cut in.  
  
"But I never lost it!" Kina looked into her purse but shut up when she saw it was missing, "I could have sworn it was in there!"  
  
Shiva glanced at everybody in the room and could feel the tension weighing down; this was going to be bad.  
  
"Why where you looking for Yue?" The redhead walked up to Tigress.  
  
"To be hired for the job."  
  
"Then why did you freak out when I told you I knew him and that he was engaged? And throw a table?"  
  
"Well, you see my mother is very sick and she needs an operation or else she'll...she'll..." Tears formed in Tigresses eyes, "she'll die so I need the money but I couldn't find a decent job that would pay well and quickly. Until I saw this ad, so I took a train here and when you told me that you knew him I was so happy. But then I had a bad feeling that I wouldn't make it in time and it just made me break down." Tigress began to cry but she smirked when she was behind the shield of her hands.  
  
"Oh it's ok. Don't cry!" Yue became putty when he saw a girl cry, "It's ok. You're hired. I'm sure Kina knows how you feel, her mother died from an illness also." The girl kept on crying so Yue put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
Laughter echoed in her mind as Tigress thought to herself, "I can't believe he fell for the pity story!"  
  
Kina's eyes flashed and then she turned to Shiva and mouthed, "Keep an eye on her." Grabbing onto Yue's arm, she dragged him into her bedroom.  
  
"Aren't you glad I hired her?" He grinned; he had done something useful.  
  
"No! Why did you tell her she was hired without asking me first? If we're going to be married we need to get each other's opinions first. There is something strange about that girl!"  
  
"It's ok, she seems nice and she did bring back your wallet. Look she needs help; you're the one who taught me to help others and not to judge them. You don't know a person until you've walked a thousand days in their shoes." He repeated her exact words.  
  
Kina rolled her eyes, great, he was using her own words against her.  
  
(A/N: Don't you hate it when you say something and then later on it's twisted against you?)  
  
"Listen, I know I said those things and they are true but I don't like her, I've got a bad feeling about her! You didn't see her at the bakery; you didn't see the hate in her eyes! And what gave you the right to tell others about my mother?"  
  
"I'm sure all this wedding arranging is just wearing you down. I'm sorry about mentioning your mother. Take a rest, I'll keep an eye on her and if she causes any trouble then we'll fire her." Yue gently sat Kina on her bed, "Take a nap."  
  
~*~  
  
"Hey, what's up?" Nuriko walked into the apartment with Hotohori hanging onto his braid.  
  
"Who are you?" Hotohori peered out from behind Nuriko at the strange, new girl.  
  
"This is our new house keeper!" Yue waltzed into the room and put his hands on his hips.  
  
"House keeper? You got a problem with how we run our house?" Nuriko instantly became defensive.  
  
"She better not touch my table!" Hotohori ran over to the table and ran his hand across it gently, "It'll be ok." He whispered to it.  
  
"No, I thought it might help out around here." Yue's voice suddenly became weary; no one seemed to appreciate his attempt at doing something useful and nice for them.  
  
Nuriko turned to Hotohori and pried him away from the table, "This might mean more time for each other."  
  
Hotohori grinned, "I like how you think."  
  
"We're going to go back out! Thanks a ton Yue!"  
  
"Can I come too?" Shiva skipped over to the two bishonen, "I'll bring Chichiri and Mitsukake! I don't think anybody needs me around here any ways!"  
  
"Ok! But don't let her touch the table Yue!" Hotohori's voice rang through the air and hung for a moment before the door closed.  
  
Yue turned towards Tigress, "Those two live here. I'm assuming you know how to clean. I'll show you around and fill you in on what to do. But don't touch the table unless you want a severe beating."  
  
Tigress grunted in reply, "This is going to be interesting as long as those two don't get in my way." She thought to herself. As she turned around her eyes spied a picture of Yue hugging Kina and hastily the red began to blur her vision. She put a hand to her head and soon her vision was back to normal.  
  
"Hey are you ok?" Yue looked at Tigress a bit concerned, "By the way, I didn't catch your name."  
  
"It's Tigress."  
  
"Just Tigress?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Cool." Yue nodded, a spark of recognition went up his spine, causing him to shiver but he quickly forgot it. As he was showing her where the dirty clothes would be to wash them, she brushed her hand against him. Quickly he pulled it away assuming it was an accident.  
  
"This is going to be fun." Tigress walked past Kina's room to see her door ajar and through the crack she spotted the girl asleep on the bed with two kittens, "Sleep away little girl, then I can play." She thought to herself, following Yue and nodding as he explained what to do.  
  
~*~  
  
Kina's head was pounding from a headache but also from all kinds of thoughts swimming through it. Tama was curled up by her leg fast asleep but Neko's head rose as she walked over to Kina's face. Rubbing her face against Kina's she purred softly.  
  
"Hey there Neko! Just who I was looking for to talk to." Her hands ran along Neko's soft brown fur making it ruffle up, "I don't like this Tigress girl. There's something fishy about her." Neko's head rose up quickly when Kina said 'fishy' but she was disappointed to find out Kina didn't have any fish for her.  
  
"When she threw that table her eyes flashed with insanity and hatred! And then Yue hired her without even making sure it was all right with me! Can you believe it? Not only that but she made me look bad by making me seem rude and jerky. It's not that I don't trust Yue, I don't trust Tigress. I think I'll go talk to Yue about the cake! I can't believe it, I almost completely forgot about it!" Kina jumped up quickly from the bed but at the same time tried not to disturb the sleeping Tama.  
  
~*~  
  
"And this is where the fancy plates are that are only use for special occasions!" Yue pointed up to a cabinet located high up.  
  
"Where is it?" Tigress innocently questioned.  
  
"Here, stand on this chair and you can open it up." Yue pulled out a chair from next to the table and helped Tigress up, "Right there, no not that one, the one on the left. Yeah that's it!"  
  
Tigress opened the cabinet and the chair began to wobble, "Got it, I'll remember that!" She started to step down as she thought to herself, "Here's my chance." Her foot slipped as she tumbled towards the floor.  
  
"Careful!" Yue caught the falling girl in his arms, "That was close!"  
  
"Yue?" Kina walked into the room to see Yue holding Tigress.  
  
"K...Kina! It's not what it looks like!" He almost dropped Tigress onto the floor.  
  
"No, it's not. I merely slipped on the chair and Yue being the noble gentleman caught me." She gave Kina a cold look and smirked amusingly.  
  
"That's my Yue, noble and good." Kina gave the girl a smirk right back then with three quick strides Kina kissed Yue's cheek, "It's ok honey, I would never doubt your loyalty."  
  
"Thanks." He blushed, "Let's go get something to, uh, eat. Tigress, you can start with the laundry."  
  
"Yes, let's." Kina grinned as Yue grabbed onto her hand and the two walked out of the apartment.  
  
"Yue, I forgot my wallet inside again! I'll be right back ok?" Kina ran back into the apartment to grab her wallet but she turned to Tigress, "I don't know who you really are or what you're after but don't think my fiancé will fall for somebody like you. One false move and you're gone." And with that Kina turned and walked out of the room.  
  
"Oh, a threat little brat? I've only just begun." Tigress mused to herself then turned towards the laundry room. 


	4. Still

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Good morning." Tigress pleasantly greeted Yue with a plate full of eggs and toast, "A special meal for you!"  
  
Nuriko raised an eyebrow, "And we're not special?"  
  
"No, just Yue needs a hearty meal because he's got so much to do for his wedding."  
  
"Sure." Hotohori nodded and quickly examined the table, "Hmm, you're ok right table? Good."  
  
"Mmm this is good!" Yue stuffed his face with the eggs, "Kina never makes eggs!"  
  
"Is there something wrong with my waffles? If you want eggs just ask me!" Kina wearily trudged into the room and readied for combat, "From now on I make breakfast." She gave Tigress a cold look, her words hanging in the air.  
  
Yue gulped his orange juice down and smiled, attempting to break the ice, "So want to send out invitations today?"  
  
"Sure!" Kina grinned and hugged Yue, "Anyone in particular that you want to invite? I want to keep the wedding a bit small though."  
  
Yue frowned, "Actually I have no idea who to invite except my friend Van from before, hmm, but that might be bad idea. He'll drink all the sake and end up ruining the wedding."  
  
"He can come, if he is restrained," Kina laughed, "Seriously, don't you have any child hood friends or family? I don't think I have anyone to invite except Hotohori, Nuriko, Shiva, Arashi, Chichiri, Mitsukake, my brother John and Mikey. Oh and Arashi should be arriving here soon."  
  
"No family that is alive anymore and no child hood friends." Yue bite his lip a bit, had he had no friends when he was a child? Wait, he remembered someone vaguely but he couldn't remember who she was.  
  
A shock of pain went through Tigress as she thought to herself, "Did he really forget? But how could he forget the promise? And me?" The dish she was washing crashed to the floor as the red came into her eyes yet again.  
  
"Tigress, you broke my good china dish!!!" Kina jumped at the sharp pieces and quickly scooped it up, "That's coming out of your pay!"  
  
"Hey it was just a accident." Yue tried to calm Kina down. She turned towards him.  
  
"Sure, defend her!" She angrily turned away and walked out of the room, sniffing up tears.  
  
"I'm sick of this." Shiva had just walked in to see the whole scene; she could feel the tension. It was like walking on pins and needles, so why not get rid of the root of the problem? She slowly walked up to Tigress and looked her into the eyes, "I don't know what your hiding or what you have against Kina but you better forget it or tell us."  
  
Tigress growled quietly, her back to Shiva, "Shut up." The red darkened in her eyes.  
  
Shiva smiled innocently, "It's rude to have your back to someone when they're talking to you."  
  
"Oh is it?" Tigress turned around.  
  
Shiva balled her hand into a fist and raised her arm back. Using all of her strength, she flung her fist at Tigress' cheek as it smashed into it.  
  
A sharp pain welled on her cheek, as Tigress could taste blood in her mouth. Rubbing her hand, Shiva turned and walked out of the room muttering some colorful words. The room was spinning for Tigress, red was everywhere and her face was numb.  
  
"YOU LITTLE---" She was cut off as Yue put a bag of ice to Tigress' cheek.  
  
"I can't believe she did that!" He complained, "Are you ok?"  
  
She blinked, "Yeah. Thanks."  
  
"I'll talk to her." He narrowed his eyes as laughing could be heard as Shiva told Kina what had just happened.  
  
Nuriko glanced at Hotohori who was staring at the table, "This is very bad." He nudged his friend who nodded.  
  
~*~  
  
Kina skipped to the mail box in which she shoved the invitations into. A cold voice etched its way into her brain, it was Tigress'. Swiftly, Kina hid behind the mailbox as Tigress walked past talking to a bishonen, Heero Yuy.  
  
"So he doesn't remember at all?" Heero Yuy's monotone voice said.  
  
"Not at all. And that little brat is getting in my way. I've got to either get rid of her or take Yue as soon as I can. Yue broke his promise, he has to pay."  
  
Kina ran towards home, her newly found information was eating away at her as she burst into the apartment, "YUE!!! I found it, I heard her!"  
  
"You what?" He looked up from the magazine of tuxedos he was looking at.  
  
"I heard Tigress talking to Heero saying that she is going to get rid of me or kidnap you! Something about you not remembering her or you breaking a promise? Think, who is she?"  
  
"Kina, come on. You girls and your suspicions!" He turned back to the magazine, "We've got a wedding to focus on, don't let petty things get to you."  
  
"But Yue, listen to me! If she is around, I don't know if the wedding can happen!" Kina stamped her foot to the ground.  
  
A look of shock and hurt went through Yue's eyes, "You mean you're going to let one person ruin our happiness?" He gave her a strange look.  
  
"Yue, I didn't mean it like that. But, but, oh forget it." She looked towards the floor and walked to her room where she got out her jacket.  
  
"Where are you going?" He closed the magazine.  
  
"For a walk." She closed the door before she could hear his reply. Her footfalls echoed through the empty street as darkness covered the earth and nighttime came. Glass shattered under Kina's shoes, where was she any ways? But she didn't care much; she had been walking the last few hours.  
  
"Why wouldn't he listen to me? I know married couples fight but shouldn't they trust each other? He was always taking HER side, that Tigress and there was something-weird going on with her. All she knew was she somehow once knew Yue but he had forgotten and they had some kind of promise. Maybe they where friends when they where little? Or lovers? Maybe he left her and she's come back for revenge! But Yue would have told her if something like that happened, Yue told her everything, right?" Music drifted through the air as an outside concert was taking place near the park, "So I'm near the park? That's good to know." Kina noted to herself.  
  
~~  
  
Funny when you stop and think  
  
Times goes faster then you blink  
  
Nothings ever like it was  
  
But we've got a special thing  
  
All the happiness it brings  
  
Ss more than enough  
  
I know its hard to believe  
  
You're still the biggest part of me  
  
All I'm living for  
  
I still think about you  
  
I still dream about you  
  
I still want you  
  
And need you by my side  
  
I'm still mad about you  
  
All I ever wanted was you  
  
You're still the one  
  
~~  
  
What was with Kina? Why was she so critical over everything? She had never acted this way until Tigress showed up. But if Yue made any other friends with a girl would she act like this with all of them? It was a whole new side to her, a side he didn't know. And didn't like very much. Was she right for him? Was this wedding right?  
  
"No Yue, don't doubt your love now. You've just got cold feet." He uneasily tried to reassure himself.  
  
~~  
  
It's hard to breathe when were apart  
  
Your like sunshine in my heart  
  
I keep you here inside  
  
You've been everything to me  
  
You've been and always will be  
  
The apple of my eye  
  
And I know it's hard to believe.  
  
You're still the biggest part of me  
  
All I'm living for  
  
I still think about you  
  
I still dream about you  
  
I still want you  
  
And need you by my side  
  
I'm still mad about you  
  
All I ever wanted was you  
  
You're still the one  
  
~~  
  
The door slammed as Tigress walked into the apartment.  
  
"KINA!" Yue jumped up, ready to apologize to his love, "It's you Tigress. Sorry." He looked at the floor sadly.  
  
"Thanks." She said sarcastically.  
  
"Sorry, didn't mean to sound cruel or anything. I just wanted to apologize to Kina."  
  
"Why do you love her so much?" Tigress looked at him.  
  
"I just do. It's like breathing, you don't know you're doing it but you know you are. And it keeps you alive, it gives you meaning and life."  
  
Tigress leaned towards him, "Could you love me? Could you ever love me?"  
  
Yue stepped back abruptly, "Tigress? Uh... I'm sorry but I love Kina." He gave her a funny look; this was getting too weird for him.  
  
"But you promised me!" Red began to fill Tigresses eyes.  
  
"I never promised you anything!" Confusion reigned and played with his mind.  
  
"Yes, you did." Tigress slammed her fist into the table.  
  
Meanwhile......  
  
"Hotohori, are you ok?" Nuriko asked his friend who had suddenly paled.  
  
"Table is hurt!" Anger flared up in the chestnut haired bishonen.  
  
~~  
  
If you love me  
  
Look into my eyes and say you do  
  
I've been waiting all my life  
  
For someone just like you  
  
Baby all that we've been through  
  
I'm still in love with you  
  
And I want you to know I do, I do  
  
I still think about you  
  
I still dream about you  
  
I still want you  
  
And need you by my side  
  
I'm still mad about you  
  
All I ever wanted was you  
  
You're still the one  
  
~~  
  
Kina smiled, she was so confused but one thing in her heart made perfect sense. She loved Yue and that was all she needed to know and feel. Yes, it hurt when she saw Tigress or him paying attention to her but she loved him and was willing to do anything for him.  
  
"Marriage is about being there for each other no matter what and that is what I want to happen between Yue and I. To be there for each other always. I should go back and apologize to him." She got up from the park bench and began to long walk home. As the song finish, Kina turned and whispered, "Yue, you're still the one." 


	5. It's Over - The Painful Truth

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"You see...the truth is..." Tigress' voice began to tremble, here it was; the moment of truth.  
  
"YUE!" The door slammed shut as Kina ran in and tackle hugged Yue.  
  
"Ouf! Hey Kina." Yue blushed and laughed as Kina pulled herself off of him, them both in a mess of tangled arms and legs.  
  
"Oh Yue, I'm sorry about the way I acted. If we're going to get married, let's do it right ok? I love you!" She kissed him quickly and blushed, looking up at him and completely ignoring Tigress' presence.  
  
"I love you too." Yue turned to Tigress, "What where you saying then?"  
  
"Nothing, forget it." Tigress turned her back to them and walked into the next room, ready to clean it out. She sat down on the bed and soon sleep took over her.  
  
"Hey Yue, I was thinking for the center piece of the tables, maybe we can get apple blossoms? You know, since we met when you threw that apple at me?" Kina smiled and giggled quietly.  
  
"Yeah, I like that idea! If we're not inviting many people then we should have it some place small. Where is the wedding going to take place?" Yue blinked in surprise at his own words, had they not even thought where to have the wedding?  
  
"I was thinking, maybe we could get married at this small chapel by the ocean side. It's where my parents were married." Kina looked down at the floor.  
  
"Yeah! The ocean would be beautiful and we could all just have the reception on the beach shore." He wrapped his arm around Kina's shoulders as they sat down to make more plans.  
  
~*~  
  
I warned you I told you  
  
I'd be better without you.  
  
But you didn't care  
  
You told me I'd go nowhere if I didn't have you.  
  
But where are you now  
  
I haven't seen you around you're nowhere to be found  
  
I wonder what happened to you.  
  
All the insecurities built inside of you  
  
Must have just blown up  
  
Thoughts of happiness  
  
Only when you reminisce.  
  
Cause now that things are bad  
  
You think of what you could've had.  
  
Think of the years they spent.  
  
With no money for the rent.  
  
From the bottom to the top.  
  
~~  
  
A young boy walked up to a little girl. They both appeared to be around the age of four years old. He had short white hair and was wearing old shorts and a T-shirt. The girl had black hair and was wearing a dress.  
  
"Hello!" The girl turned to the boy and greeted him warmly.  
  
"Hi. Who are you missus?" He questioned.  
  
"You can call me Tigress!" She slapped the boy's back, "Tag, you're it!" Her laughter echoed through the forest as the two children ran and played.  
  
~~  
  
Cause I warned you  
  
I told you I'd be better without you.  
  
I wonder what happened to you.  
  
All the insecurities built inside of you  
  
Must have just blown up.  
  
Now everyone has changed,  
  
But somehow you stayed the same.  
  
A life lesson has been learned,  
  
Your past came back and you got burned.  
  
What you done you try to hide,  
  
It's time to swallow your pride.  
  
You'll never change and I can see,  
  
When you said at least you're making money from me.  
  
When I warned you I told you I'd be better without you,  
  
But you didn't care you.  
  
Told me I'd go nowhere if I didn't have you,  
  
But where are you now?  
  
~~  
  
Suddenly they are older, around the age of ten.  
  
"Look at the big one I got!" Yue yanked at his fishing pole as a giant fish splashed out of the water.  
  
"No fair!" Tigress' pole also began to tug as she pulled on it, "I got one too!!" A tiny fish about three inches long popped out of the water.  
  
"It's looks like a worm!" Yue chuckled. Soon the two children where walking home as the sun set.  
  
~~  
  
  
  
I haven't seen you around you know where to be found,  
  
I wonder what happened to you.  
  
All the insecurities built inside of you.  
  
Must have just blown up  
  
And I wonder where you are sometimes.  
  
And I wonder are,  
  
Right now.  
  
I warned you I told you I'd be better without you,  
  
But you didn't care you,  
  
Told me I'd go nowhere if I didn't have you.  
  
But where are you now  
  
I haven't seen you around you know where to be found.  
  
I wonder what happened to you.  
  
All the insecurities built inside of you.  
  
How do you feel now?  
  
~~  
  
Now they where older again, around twelve years old.  
  
"Hey Yue, do you like me?" Tigress bashfully turned towards Yue.  
  
"Yeah, do you like me?" He returned Tigress' gaze.  
  
"Can you make me a promise?" She leaned in closer to him.  
  
"Yeah, what is it?" He gazed intently into her eyes.  
  
"Promise me that you'll always take care of me and love me. And that you'll never, ever leave me." Her cheeks turned a crimson shade as happiness radiated from the young girl's face.  
  
"I promise." He leaned in as the two kissed quickly.  
  
"If you love me, come back here tomorrow at noon time and let's get married!" Tigress stood up, her black hair swirling around her red cheeks.  
  
"Ok I'll be here tomorrow!" Yue hugged her, his white hair mixing in with her black hair and he ran off towards his bishonen village.  
  
~~  
  
I warned you I told you I'd be better without you.  
  
But you didn't care you.  
  
Told me I'd go nowhere if I didn't have you.  
  
But where are you now.  
  
I haven't seen you around you know where to be found.  
  
I wonder what happened to you.  
  
All the insecurities built inside of you.  
  
Must have just blown up.  
  
~~  
  
As the next day came, Yue was preparing to go see Tigress for their marriage; it was common for bishonen to be married at a young age. As he wrapped his jacket around his waist a shrill scream shattered his peaceful world. He dashed out of his house to see what was going on, but suddenly he wished he had stayed inside. His village was being raided, his parents where being brutally attacked and murdered. His friends and relatives where being beaten and captured. The loving world he had once known was disappearing forever and fading in his mind. And after that happened he blocked his past from his mind. He tried to forget it all and soon a mental wall blocked the harsh memories as he ran from it all. Now all he had was the clothes on his back and the forever forest for him to wander in.  
  
Tigress threw a stone across the lake as it skipped along the water, "Where is he? It's been an hour." She looked up at the setting sun and sighed. Soon darkness had fallen upon the earth and he had never shown up. Her only friend, her love, her true buddy. And he had failed her, abandoned her, left her to the cold. She sat there for two whole days, waiting and waiting but no one ever came. Tigress refused to move from that spot, she knew he wasn't coming but her body wouldn't make the effort to move. And soon her last moments where on her as she laid by the lakeside, warm salty tears streaming down her now pale face. But a black shadow blocked the sun from her eyes.  
  
"Who are you?" She weakly questioned.  
  
"Let me join you, I can help you find the one you search for. I will make it all right." The black shadow hissed.  
  
"No." She muttered.  
  
"I am offering an answer, don't you want to know why he didn't come?" The high-pitched hiss etched into her mind.  
  
"How do you know who I am and what's going on?" But she wanted to know why he didn't come, "Tell me why he didn't come."  
  
"I will show you." The black shadow skittered towards her and she saw it was just a shadow, a shadow with red eyes. And then the shadow absorbed itself into her skin, into her mind and her soul. Tigress' eyes began to glow red as her and the shadow demon became one.  
  
~*~  
  
With a loud SMACK! Tigress was suddenly on the hard, cold floor, "It was that stupid dream again. Not dream, memory." She put an icy hand to her forehead as she stood up, looking at her surroundings. She had dozed off while cleaning the extra bedroom in Kina's apartment, "It haunts me, he broke his promise and he must keep it. No matter what!" The red mist filled her eyes then faded as a plan began to form into her head. 


	6. Hidden Secrets

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Tigress folded the clothing she had just ironed and instinctively froze as she heard voices talking through the wall.  
  
"Yue, you know she's up to something. Can't we just fire her and get her out of my house?" Tigress knew this was Kina's voice as its singsong like words flowed through the paper-thin wall.  
  
"Honey, we can't until we find out what she is up to. Then we can kick her out if its something bad. Just leave it up to me! Here, why don't you, Shiva, Nuriko and Hotohori go out to this concert? I got tickets, it's that one you wanted to see hosted by the local radio station." Yue's strong male voice sounded. A high pitched squeal of joy answered his offer as a yes.  
  
"Yue, you're the greatest! But I wish you could come too!" Kina replied as she wrapped her arms around Yue.  
  
"I know, me too. Except we need to find out what Tigress is after and I'll get it out of her while everyone is out."  
  
The paper in Tigress' hand crinkled as she balled her hand into a fist with anger, "Oh he's going to get the truth out of me? Well, he's going to get more than just the truth!!!" She threw the paper onto the ground, crushing it even more with her boot heel.  
  
~*~  
  
"This is so cool Nuriko!" Kina pulled the necklace she was putting on tighter around her neck so it looked like a choker.  
  
"Is Hotohori out of the bathroom yet?" Shiva walked into the room, "Hey can I borrow some of your clothes?"  
  
"Sure." The door made a swishing noise as Kina opened it up, revealing rows and rows of colorful clothing.  
  
"What do you think of this?" Shiva pulled out a pair of flare jeans and a light yellow halter-top. She had her long brown hair in two braids that twisted together.  
  
"That would look awesome on you!" Kina gave her friend a high-five.  
  
"Totally!" Hotohori walked into the room sporting pin-stripped black pants with a baggy gray sweater. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail with some bangs hanging in his face.  
  
"Oh, I like!" Nuriko smirked at his friend as he trudged into the room wearing baggy jeans and a tight white tank top with a white sports coat over it and his traditional braid.  
  
"What do you all think of this?" Kina skipped out of the bathroom wearing a long jean skirt that had long slits up both sides. She was wearing a silver tube top that had a blue zigzag and swirl-like design. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail with thousands of curls that where bobby pinned to her head.  
  
"Looking good!" Yue laughed while standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. He was wearing tie up blue pants and a white shirt for around the house.  
  
"You be careful and do a good job!" Kina slowly walked over to him, leaned up toward his face and kissed his cheek.  
  
"Don't worry. Have a fun time!" He winked at Kina and kissed her cheek back then began to tickle her. Soon the two were on the floor having an all-out tickle war, giggling sounded everywhere.  
  
"Look at those two!" Nuriko laughed to himself then felt Hotohori tickle him quickly.  
  
"Attention people, we've got a concert to attend to!" Shiva yelled so they all stopped quickly and looked at her. She burst out laughed as they all fixed themselves back up and trudged to the taxi waiting outside.  
  
~*~  
  
The door opened and then closed quietly as Tigress walked into the apartment.  
  
"Where have you been?" Yue questioned the black-haired girl who only glared at him in response.  
  
"I was out buying groceries." She dropped the paper bags onto the table.  
  
"Yummy, get any ice cream?" Yue grinned and began to dig through the bags.  
  
"No." Tigress pulled a chair back and sat down, taking out a bag of potato chips, opening them and eating a few chips, "I finished all the chores, so where's my pay?" She sighed to herself; this was going to be a long night  
  
.  
  
"Right here." Yue slid fifty dollars across the table to Tigress.  
  
"You only owe me forty-five." She shoved the extra fifteen dollars to him; she wasn't going to let him bribe the information from her.  
  
"It's a bonus for your first full week." He pushed the money back to her then received a grumbled, thank you in reply.  
  
"Tigress, why are you really here?" He leaned back in his chair, looking at her intently from across the table.  
  
~*~  
  
"HEY SHIVA, OVER HERE!!!" Kina's voice screamed over the crowd.  
  
"OH MY GOSH, I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE CRAMMED IN ONE PLACE!" Nuriko hollered over to Hotohori as the four found their seats, but no one was sitting. A blast of light silenced everyone for a brief moment as fire flashed across the stage and the band began to rise out of the ground.  
  
"SOME ENTRANCE!" Shiva yelled to her friend as the crowd began to scream and cheer as music sounded everywhere. The floor shook as people all around them began to jump and yell to their favorite band member.  
  
"I LOVE YOU!!!!" A random girl threw herself at the stage but was carried off by security.  
  
The room filled with a bone-chilling silence yet again, then the main singer's voice rang out loud and clear like a songbird.  
  
"Day by day, heart to heart, I hope that we'll forever be together. Will it be, me and you? I dreamed that our life will last forever. Hold me tight, in your arms. I know we have the strength to stay together." The woman stepped forward as the band behind her began to play the drums and a guitar. She took a breath and sang again. The four swayed in the crowd, "Walk with me, hand in hand. I promise to be there forever, forever."  
  
~*~  
  
Yue stared into Tigress' cold and emotionless gray eyes, "Does she feel anything?" He thought to himself.  
  
"You want the truth, I'll give you the truth." Tigress leaned forward as her face became like stone in a frozen expression of hatred, "You broke your promise to me."  
  
"But WHAT promise? I've never even met you before!" Yue slammed his hand onto the table, he was getting no where.  
  
"But that is where you're wrong my friend. When we both where children I knew you. We where only around the age of four when we first met but we grew up together, remember? My gosh, what has happened to you!" Tigress snarled at the silver-haired bishonen.  
  
Yue closed his eyes, he could vaguely remember a childhood friend but that was all, he couldn't remember anything after his village was raided, it was all locked away somewhere inside of himself. A place not even he could reach.  
  
"One day when we where twelve years old you promised me this. I remember your exact words. You promised me that you would always take care of me and love me. And that you would never, ever leave me. Then we agreed that the next day we would meet by the lake if we loved each other and get married. But you never showed up. You broke your promise." Tigress' eyes grew sad but stayed cold as she accused Yue of his fault as the red blurred her eyes, "You are a liar. Don't make a promise unless you know you can keep it."  
  
"I...I can't remember any of this!" Yue stood up, knocking his chair over as he grabbed onto his head. Memories of playing with a little girl with black hair flashed through his mind, but it hurt. It hurt so bad. Then came the greatest pain of all. The moment of him making that promise surfaced into his mind, "NO!" He screamed as he pushed the table towards Tigress, "I didn't promise that! We where just kids, we had no idea what we where talking about! It's different now! I love Kina!"  
  
"Forget that brat and come with me! KEEP YOUR PROMISE! Is there something wrong promises made by children? Are they any less sacred?!?!" Tigress snarled as she walked towards Yue, "Does it hurt? Does remembering me hurt that bad?" Her hand tensed as she tightened the muscles so her fingers where like a tiger's claw, "I'll make it hurt worse!!" The red was taking over completely now as she leapt at Yue, slashing wildly with her hands. Her nails dug into his skin as she scraped them down his back, ripping his shirt and his flesh.  
  
Yue winced and pushed Tigress away from him, "Leave me alone!!!!!!" He bellowed as he fell back into the wall, grabbing onto his head. Pain pulsed through his mind and his body as red blood stained his white shirt.  
  
"I'll kill her and you! That's what I'll do, I'll kill your precious Kina! I'll make you go through the same pain I had to go through, I'll make you suffer Yue!" Everything was crimson red as she reached for a knife.  
  
~*~  
  
A shiver went through Kina's spine as she suddenly quieted down.  
  
"WHAT'S THE MATTER?" Shiva hollered to her friend as she had suddenly became motionless.  
  
"I DON'T KNOW, SUDDENLY I'VE GOT A BAD FEELING THAT SOMETHING'S HAPPENED TO YUE!" She replied.  
  
"DON'T WORRY, HE'LL BE FINE! LET'S JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME!" Shiva laughed as she saw Nuriko and Hotohori both holding hands and dancing to the music.  
  
The singer's voice sang clearly again, "Day by day, heart to heart. I hope that we will forever be together. Will it be, me and you? I dreamed that our life will last forever." 


	7. Deadly Sleep with a Haunting Past - Lock...

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Tigress' hand trembled as her eyes where wide open with a psychotic look on her face. Everything was blood red, everything. Her hand shook as she clenched onto the butcher knife in her hand. Yue was sprawled out against the wall, sweat beads covered his forehead, and he was unconscious. Now was her chance, she could have sweet revenge. Her foot lifted up and the boot clicked as she stepped towards him.  
  
A crooked grin crossed her face as she through to herself, "Only three more steps and he's all yours."  
  
~*~  
  
"THAT TOTALLY KICKED BUTT!" Nuriko called over to Kina. Kina was putting in her key as she began to unlock the apartment door.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Kina stopped and leaned closer to Nuriko.  
  
"THAT TOTALLY KICKED BUTT!" He repeated again, louder and more into her ear.  
  
"WHAT?" Kina replied.  
  
"NEVER MIND!"  
  
She shrugged as she turned to door handle.  
  
~*~  
  
She was there. And he was all hers. Her pale hand lifted the knife into the air and using all of her strength, she stabbed it towards Yue's chest.  
  
But something grabbed her arm tightly, wrenching the knife out of her grip. Nuriko cut the circulation off of her arm as he squeezed tighter, shoving her back away from Yue.  
  
Her eyes shifted between Kina, Nuriko, Hotohori and Shiva. The pupils where tiny and red now.  
  
"What should we do with her? Police?" Nuriko grabbed onto Tigress' other arm before she could lash out at anyone else.  
  
"Get her out, I want her gone. Take her far away from her and get rid of her." Kina swallowed and stared at Tigress, "Never, ever come back here." She rose her arm and slapped her across her face.  
  
Tigress began to laugh louder and louder, "Yue, oh sweet Yue! If you want this to ever end, come to me! I'll be at the one place you promised to meet me at, by our lake side!"  
  
The words penetrated into Yue's mind subconsciously even though he was unconscious.  
  
"Got it." Nuriko clamped his hand over Tigress' mouth and held her hands together behind her back with his other hand.  
  
"I'll help you." Hotohori brought over some rope and tied Tigress' feet and arms.  
  
"Take her deep into the forest and just leave her there." Kina ordered as the two bishonen nodded and walked out of the apartment, making sure they where seen by no one, "Shiva, get me the first aid kit!"  
  
"Yes!" Shiva ran into the other room, grabbing the kit. Her face was pale.  
  
"Get me some gauze." Kina pulled Yue onto the coach and gently took off his shirt, examining the large scratch mark across his back.  
  
"That's got to hurt." Shiva muttered to herself as she handed Kina the gauze with some antibiotics and a wet wash cloth.  
  
Kina gently cleaned up his wound and wrapped them with care, "He's got a fever." She wiped her forehead, she had been sitting with him for the last few hours occasionally wiping the sweat off of his forehead as she pulled a blanket up over him.  
  
"Hey, maybe you should rest, I'll watch him." Shiva patted her friend's shoulder worriedly.  
  
"No I'm fine." She rubbed her eyes, she was at the point that she was so tired but she was beyond sleep.  
  
"I'm going to go to bed, if you need anything come wake me up." Shiva smiled at her friend warmly then trudged back to her room.  
  
"Oh Yue, I love you. I hope you're ok." Kina sighed to herself as she looked lovingly at her fiancé. She took the wash cloth and gently wiped his forehead then she laid her head against his shoulder.  
  
Nuriko and Hotohori quietly shut the door behind them as they crept into their room not wanting to disturb Kina or Yue.  
  
~*~  
  
"W-where am I?" Yue stuttered as he looked around, everything around him was black, a strange blackness.  
  
"You are in your mind." A voice called to him, "How could you forget?" It quietly stated, it sounded much like his own voice but younger.  
  
"The past hurt too much for me, I couldn't stand to even be reminded of it after the village was raided. So I blocked it all away." Yue gave up trying to be defensive or manly. He was so tired all of the sudden, he wanted it all to end and for things to return too normal.  
  
"You want everything to be back to normal? You can't do anything with your past blocked away. You must accept it and move on or else everything will be like this. Let yourself remember it all. Remember the happiness, the pain, the joy, the tears, the good and the bad." The voice said.  
  
"W-W-Who are you?" He stuttered.  
  
"I am you. Except the younger version of you, but you locked me away. Please remember me." The child's voice sounded sad, "Remember me or else you will forever be in turmoil. I miss you."  
  
"I'm sorry but I just can't! Please, help me!" Yue cried out. A young boy materialized in front of him. He was about 4 feet tall and had long silvery- white hair that was pulled back into a ponytail.  
  
The younger Yue's tiny hand reached up and took hold of Yue's large hand, "Here, I will show you." He smiled up at himself, "I felt all alone when you forgot about me for so long. I want to walk towards the future with you, both of us, as one."  
  
It was a surreal image to see, a young child showing his older self, lost and confused, the way to peace within himself. The darkness around them faded away as they where transported to a forest-like village. There a blonde-haired woman was holding a small baby in her arms while a man with silver hair smiled down at his wife and son.  
  
"We shall name him Yue, our little Yue." The woman kissed Yue's forehead.  
  
Now the woman was bending down with her arms stretched out in front of her as a five-year old Yue ran towards his mother, laughing happily.  
  
"GUESS WHAT MOMMY!" His voice chirped as he hugged his mother, "I maded a new friend today!!!!"  
  
"That's nice." She smiled down at her son.  
  
"Her names Tigress and she's cool!" He jumped up and down as he ran towards his home to tell his dad his news.  
  
"I love you." His mother and father both looked down at him as they all ate dinner.  
  
The little Yue looked up at his older self already crying, "It's ok, let it all out." The scene faded before him and now he was somewhere else.  
  
"This is deeeeeeeeelicious!" Tigress laughed as she ate the food Yue had made for her. They where both ten years old now.  
  
"Thanks! I made it all by myself!" Yue poked his friend, "Just for you!" He laughed.  
  
Tigress turned to Yue, "Look at that!" She pulled a slug off of a leaf and threw it at Yue.  
  
"EEWWWWWWW GET IT OFF!" He yelled, shaking his body to remove any slug that was sticking to him, "I'm going to get you!" Yue grabbed his cup of water and threw it all over Tigress.  
  
"Why you!" She jumped at him and the two tumbled around on the floor, laughing with happiness.  
  
Yue squeezed his older self's hand as the scene faded and he smiled at himself, "I have to go now, I'll see you in a bit."  
  
"Wait!" Yue called but the little Yue faded away and the darkness surrounded him once again, "I have so much to ask you!!!"  
  
Suddenly, he was surrounded by forest and he felt a warm hand on his arm. Startled, Yue turned around to see a twelve year old Tigress smiling at him.  
  
"You ok Yue?" She leaned in and poked his face in concern.  
  
"Hmm..yeah." He replied in total confusion, then jumped back when he realized his voice sounded much younger. Looking into the lake water, he saw his reflection. He was only twelve years old.  
  
"Hey Yue, Do you like me?" Tigress leaned towards Yue as he trembled.  
  
He could feel himself screaming, "What's going on?" But it wouldn't come out, all that would come out was, "Yeah, do you like me?" Then it all became clear to him. He was re-living the two days he hated most. And he was forced to do it inside of his younger self, but he couldn't change anything he said or felt. Happiness flowed through his body, why was he feeling this?  
  
"Can you make me a promise?" She leaned in closer to him.  
  
"Yeah, what is it?" He gazed intently into her eyes. He was being forced to see the two days repeated, to feel the same feelings he had felt those many years ago, all over again.  
  
"Promise me that you'll always take care of me and love me. And that you'll never, ever leave me." Her cheeks turned a crimson shade as happiness radiated from the young girl's face.  
  
"I promise." He leaned in as the two kissed quickly.  
  
"If you love me, come back here tomorrow at noon time and let's get married!" Tigress stood up, her black hair swirling around her red cheeks.  
  
"Ok I'll be here tomorrow!" Yue hugged her, his white hair mixing in with her black hair and he ran off towards his bishonen village. He wanted to make his feet stop but he couldn't. He ran into his home to see his mother and father kissing by the supper table.  
  
"Mooooooooooom!!!! Daaaaaaddd!!" He wined as they blushed and stopped.  
  
"Supper's ready!" His mother laughed as she set the food onto the table.  
  
"Thanks mom, your cooking rocks!" He shoved the food into his mouth quickly and swallowed it.  
  
For a few hours Yue talked with his parents about his day and what he was planning to do tomorrow. They had approved of his marriage and where happy for him. Yue dragged his feet into bed tiredly, half of him felt so happy and yet the other half dreaded tomorrow, the half that knew what was going to happen. He wanted to yell out to his parents to run, get out of town but his voice wouldn't leave his throat. 


	8. Peace Within - Sweet Memories

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 8  
  
It was morning now as Yue forced himself of bed. He had to meet Tigress soon for the wedding.  
  
"Morning darling." His mother kissed his cheek.  
  
"Aww mom, I'm getting too old for this kind of stuff." He replied, but his older self kept yelling, "You're never too old! Enjoy it, it'll end soon." The inevitable was going to happen. And he was helpless against it.  
  
"I'm proud of you son." He felt his father put his large hand on his shoulder as he sniffed proud tears.  
  
"Thanks dad." Yue turned to face his parents as he looked around for his jacket, "We'll meet out at the lake then come back here for the wedding ceremony. I love you both." He hugged both of his parents and his mother kissed his cheek. His father ruffled his hair and patted his back.  
  
"We love you too." His mother wiped up her tears as his two parents walked out of the house to allow him to get ready.  
  
Grinning, he tied his jacket around his waist.  
  
"NO!!!! NO!! GET OUT THERE YOU IDIOT! GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE VILLAGE! THEY'RE COMING RIGHT NOW!" Yue yelled at himself even though he knew the boy wouldn't hear him, it was doomed to happen. But Yue didn't care if it did any good or not, he kept yelling. Then he heard a piercing scream, but this time it wasn't his own. Footsteps pounded the ground as blood- sickening screams pierced through the peaceful morning air. He lifted his feet as he began to run out of his house to see what was going on. But he already knew what he was going to see, it haunted him day and night. Suddenly, he wasn't there anymore. He was back in the familiar darkness. His safe haven away from the truth.  
  
Sighing in relief, while tears streamed down his face, he turned to face his younger self again, "Why did you make me see that?" He cried in anger.  
  
"You had too, you have forgotten how much your parents loved you. They will always care for you, but we don't have much more time. You must see one more thing before this all ends." The little boy took his hand and smiled, "I am glad I got to see you again and now we can be together."  
  
The scene now changed, they where in a forest area, by the lake. He looked over and saw Tigress sitting on a rock sorrowfully. He recognized what she was wearing, it was the traditional dress for a bride, "This is..." But he was cut off by the younger Yue, "Be quiet and watch."  
  
Tigress threw a stone across the lake as it skipped along the water, "Where is he? It's been an hour." She looked up at the setting sun and sighed. Soon darkness had fallen upon the earth and he had never shown up. Her only friend, her love, her true buddy. And he had failed her, abandoned her, and left her to the cold.  
  
Yue could feel her pain. With a flash, he was now fast-forwarded to two days later. She was still sitting there, waiting for him faithfully. But he knew he would never come, he had already ran away by now.  
  
Tigress refused to move from that spot, she knew he wasn't coming but her body wouldn't make the effort to move. And soon her last moments where on her as she laid by the lakeside, warm salty tears streaming down her now pale face. But a black shadow blocked the sun from her eyes.  
  
Yue stared at the black shadow, he knew what it was! Once his mother had told him of a legend where a shadow demon took over a weak human's body and used it to feed off of anger and hatred. The demon slowly controlled the human's body as it would turn all their good feelings into pain and hate and soon the demon controlled them completely.  
  
"Who are you?" She weakly questioned.  
  
"Let me join you, I can help you find the one you search for. I will make it all right." The black shadow hissed.  
  
"No." She muttered.  
  
"Don't do it Tigress!!!" Yue yelled to her but his voice was deaf to her, she didn't even know he was there.  
  
"I am offering an answer, don't you want to know why he didn't come?" The high-pitched hiss etched into her mind.  
  
"How do you know who I am and what's going on?" But she wanted to know why he didn't come, "Tell me why he didn't come."  
  
"I will show you." The black shadow skittered towards her and she saw it was just a shadow, a shadow with red eyes. And then the shadow absorbed itself into her skin, into her mind and her soul. Tigress' eyes began to glow red as her and the shadow demon became one.  
  
Yue looked down at his younger self, "Now I see. I understand. Thank you. I'm sorry I locked you away." He leaned down on one knee so they both where at an equal height.  
  
"It's ok. Thank you for remembering." The younger Yue smiled, "Now we can walk to the future together!" He hugged himself and the little Yue materialized into the older Yue. And they where one, past and present walking to the future.  
  
"Mmm." Yue mumbled to himself as his eyes slowly opened. Everything was blurry but it slowly came into focus. He was staring at the peach-colored ceiling in Kina's apartment. Yue felt something heavy leaning on his shoulder but as he shifted to look he felt a sharp pain in his back. Everything that had happen with Tigress blasted back into his mind, all this thinking was making his head hurt. He turned his head to see Kina sitting half on the floor while her head and arms where on his shoulder, she was sleeping peacefully. He noticed she was still wearing her concert clothing.  
  
"She's been sitting here with me the whole time! And she fixed me up." He thought to himself and smiled at the redheaded girl, oh how much he loved her! He looked at the bandages around his wound and the new clothes he was wearing. Suddenly, his mind told him something. While he was out of it on the wall, Tigress had threatened to kill Kina.  
  
"What if Tigress comes after Kina? With that demon thing inside her, she's sure to try it!" He thought to himself, "As long as I'm here with Kina, then she's in danger also. I have to go meet Tigress at the lake and end this nightmare." He couldn't lose the one he loved, not after all they had been through. Gently, he lifted Kina off of his shoulder and slowly he stood up. He knew what must be done. Everything that had happen with Tigress was in his past and it was over, this wasn't Tigress anymore, it was just a shadow demon. He had lost her along with his parents that day so long ago. Ever so carefully, he lifted Kina up and laid her across the couch. Yue tiptoed into his room where he grabbed some clothing and then walked into the kitchen where he grabbed some food.  
  
~~  
  
All my bags are packed, ready to go.  
  
I'm standing here, outside the door.  
  
I hate to wake you up to say good-bye.  
  
But the dawn is breaking, early morn..  
  
The taxi's waiting, blowin' it's horn.  
  
Already I'm so lonesome I could die.  
  
So kiss me and smile for me  
  
Tell me that you'll wait for me.  
  
Hold me like you'll never let me go.  
  
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane  
  
Don't know when I'll be back again.  
  
Oh babe, I hate to go.  
  
~~  
  
Yue looked down at Kina, his little angel. Carefully, he reached down and brushed back a strand of her hair that was in her face. He brushed the hair behind her ear and then smiled as tears formed in his eyes. He quickly sniffed them away and then walked to her room. Walking back, he placed her blanket around her along with her Bunny. Kina stirred in her sleep causing Yue to freeze, praying she wouldn't wake up. Quietly, Kina muttered, "Mmm... Yue..." As she turned in her sleep and cuddled with her blanket.  
  
~~  
  
There's so many times I've let you down.  
  
So many times I've played around.  
  
I tell you now they don't mean a thing.  
  
Every place I go I'll think of you.  
  
Every song I sing I'll sing for you.  
  
When I come back I'll bring your wedding ring.  
  
Well now the time has come to leave you.  
  
One more time please let me kiss you.  
  
Then close your eyes and I'll be on my way.  
  
Dream about the days to come.  
  
When I won't have to leave you alone,  
  
About the times I won't have to say good-bye.  
  
~~  
  
He blushed as he leaned down to kiss her forehead, then he stopped. He stood up and leaned down again and his lips brushed against her cheek as he kissed her. She smiled in her sleep peacefully.  
  
"Good-bye my love, please don't be too mad at me. I'll be back soon, I hope." He slowly stood up then walked to the door. He cautiously opened the door then paused as he held it open, standing up tall in the doorframe.  
  
~~  
  
So kiss me and smile for me.  
  
Tell me that you'll wait for me.  
  
Hold me like you'll never let me go.  
  
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane.  
  
Don't know when I'll be back again.  
  
Oh babe I hate to go.  
  
~~  
  
The door clicked softly as Yue pulled it shut. He turned and briskly walked down the hallway, "Tigress, I'm going to end this once and for all." He muttered to himself with a look of determination on his face. 


	9. The Power of Hope - and Despair

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 9  
  
"Mmm.. evil toaster... must..run!" Kina muttered in her sleep, "AAAHHH!!" She screamed, jumping up and falling off the couch. She looked around in a daze for a few moments, "Y..yue? He must be in the kitchen getting breakfast." She told herself.  
  
Nuriko waltzed into the kitchen, "Morning, how's Yue?" He scratched his back.  
  
"He's not here!!!!" Kina ran around the apartment looking everywhere, even under the beds, "What if Tigress got him?" She began to break down in tears, falling to the floor.  
  
"Hey, hey it's ok!" Nuriko caught Kina as she fell down, "If she did get him then I'll kick her ass!"  
  
Kina laughed, feeling better, Nuriko almost never cursed. It's the best feeling to know you have friends who really care about you, even if their way of showing it was 'kicking the ass' of whoever makes you mad.  
  
"What's up?" Hotohori and Shiva both walked into the kitchen from different directions. Shiva absentmindedly walked into the table.  
  
"TABLE!" Hori ran to the tables side, stroking the top of it, "Watch it Shiva, now apologize!"  
  
"Argh, FINE! I'm sorry table!" Shiva glared at Hotohori, she never imagined she'd apologize to a table.  
  
"I can't believe he left, or was kidnapped, or whatever!" Kina sat down on the nearest chair, burying her face into her hands.  
  
"Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe he just went out to get something. That's probably it. He'll be back soon!" Hotohori attempted to comfort his friend.  
  
"But I just have this sickening feeling that we need to find him! We NEED to!" She sat back up, wiping her face, "We should look for him."  
  
Nuriko glanced at everyone in the room, "Maybe we should go out and look, but where?"  
  
"If she did take him or he went to find her, where would it be?" Hotohori thought out loud as he put his arm around Nuriko.  
  
"Maybe in the forest, Yue's bishonen village? Who knows?" Shiva scratched her head.  
  
"Well it's not doing any good by just standing around, let's go look!" Kina jumped up and grabbed her jacket, "We can split up, four can cover more ground then one big group."  
  
"I don't think it's a good idea to split up." Shiva pulled out her two bishonen balls, "How about I'll go look with Chichiri and Mitsukake. Kina you go look with Nuriko and Hotohori. Then we'll all be covering more ground but we'll be safe and together. If you find them, fire this into the air." She produced out of her room a bag full of firecrackers, "I was going to save them for your wedding, but they'll be more handy right now."  
  
"Thanks, good idea." Kina graciously accepted half of the stash of firecrackers while Shiva kept the other half. She pulled out two packages of matches, giving one to Shiva.  
  
"Let's go." Nuriko opened the door for everyone, "We'll go look around where Yue's bishonen village is, Kina thinks she knows where it is. Shiva, you guys go through the forest and ask around town ok?"  
  
"Got it, no da!" Chichiri appeared before the group along with Mitsukake.  
  
"WAIT A MINUTE!" Kina screamed and turned around, scaring the heebie jeebies out of everyone, "Remember Tigress told him to met her at that lake!"  
  
"But what lake?" Shiva questioned her friend.  
  
"The one in the forest! I think I know where it is!" She grabbed Shiva's arm and pulled her forward, "We'll find it then split up to surround them!  
  
The group looked out at the empty street then began their search.  
  
"Yue, why would you leave me?" Kina struggled to answer her own question.  
  
~*~  
  
Tigress sat by the lake, laughing to herself, "They think they've beaten me, we'll they haven't!" She told herself when suddenly a snapping twig broke her from her thought, "Who's there!?!?" She spun around, anger hissing in her voice.  
  
"It's me." Yue walked out of the shadows and into the light, he looked tired and sad. He was even missing one of his shoes and twigs where in his hair, "Tigress, I saw what happened. I'm sorry." He rubbed his hands together then stepped towards her.  
  
"You don't know what it was like!" Tigress snarled at the bishonen.  
  
"You where scared weren't you? It's ok to be afraid Tigress, that's part of life." He stepped closer to her, holding his arms out.  
  
"Shut up, get away from me! Stop it!" She stepped back. *Why is he being so nice to me? WHY?* She thought to herself, part of her felt warm but something inside her kept consuming her, darkness. *He is only being nice because he pities you.* She answered her own question.  
  
"Yue, I'm so sorry." Tigress began to cry warm hot tears.  
  
"It's ok Tigress, let it all out. Then this can all be over with." He embraced her in his arms, letting her cry on his shoulder.  
  
"T-thank you." Tigress looked up at his face but before Yue could do anything, she was kissing him. Then his body went limp in her arms, "Haha, the little sap fell for it." She wiped the lipstick off of her lips, the poisonous lipstick she used for knocking people unconscious. Although she had to be truthful, she never thought it would come in handy.  
  
Smirking, Tigress dragged out chains from behind a rock, she lifted up her arms into the air and muttered a spell, "Darkness within and darkness all around, spirits from hell come and lend me your power. With these chains that I bind, if he tries to break free from them shock his entire body with pain. If he escapes then shoot him down with your hellish black power, straight through his heart. Dragging his soul into everlasting pain. Listen to my request and answer it!" She chanted over the pile of chains as they turned into a black color.  
  
~*~  
  
Kina shifted her gaze through the bushes but something white caught her eye. Squinting, she leaned down and crawled towards the object.  
  
Hotohori began to poke Nuriko's back, "Have you seen anything yet--?" He questioned his friend but all of a sudden his foot caught on a tree root and like a giant chicken, his arms went flying in circles as he attempted to keep his balance. It was a futile effort; Hotohori went flying forwards in a crash course with the ground. But two strong, warm arms caught him as he fell, causing his face to be buried in a bunch of cloth.  
  
"Careful." Nuriko lifted Hotohori to his feet.  
  
"T-thanks." Hotohori blushed and smiled, "You always catch me went I fall!" His arm went behind his head.  
  
"That's because you always are clumsy!" The purple haired bishonen laughed but a tiny cry from the girl ahead of them caused them to stop abruptly.  
  
"What's-the-matter?!" Hotohori ran over to Kina's side, crouching to the ground so he could see what she was holding.  
  
"I-It's Yue's ... shoe!" She burst out into tears, "O-o-one shoe is always a b-bad sign!" Kina attempted to speak in between sobs, "It means something's l-lost, broken or h-h-hurt!!" Her cries came out louder this time.  
  
Nuriko panicked, he didn't know what to do. What if Kina was right, what if they would never really find Yue? No, he couldn't doubt himself, that's the worse thing to do in a bad situation. You've got to keep your head up high and believe it will all work out, keep up the faith.  
  
"I guess I've just had false hope." Kina muttered.  
  
"There is no thing as false hope, if you hope then you hope. And it can never be false because I highly doubt Yue would leave you or he'd let himself lose to Tigress, not when he's got a wonderful girl like you on his side." Nuriko grinned but what Hotohori said next really did the trick. That was his Hotohori, always keeping his head in bad situations and always saying the right things at the right time.  
  
"No Kina, just because you found one shoe it doesn't mean something is lost or broken. Remember that whole thing with Cinderella? The prince and her glass slipper, the fairy godmother and the ball? The prince found her shoe and it led him to his true love!" Hotohori helped Kina stand up as he reminded her that one shoe is a sign of hope.  
  
"I guess you're right." Kina sniffed up her tears, "Let's keep looking, he has to be nearby!"  
  
She shifted through the bushes then paused at what she saw. There in front of them was Tigress and next to her was Yue, but he was strapped with chains onto some strange table. He was pale and wasn't moving. Slowly, everything that had happened lately sunk into her. The truth she didn't want to face was now rearing it's ugly head in her face.  
  
"He's dead." It flashed in her mind, she wanted to run. To run away and hide safe in her own room. But this is the one she loved, how could she abandon him? She tried to scream but it wouldn't come out of her throat because Nuriko quickly clamped his hand around her mouth. Quietly, he dragged her away from the scene while Hotohori followed them.  
  
"We can't set off the fire works to let Shiva know we found Yue or else Tigress will see them." Hotohori whispered to Nuriko, who was still keeping Kina quiet.  
  
"Where are we again?" A voice said out loud as the three turned to see Shiva, Chichiri and Mistukake.  
  
"Just who we're looking for." Nuriko let go of Kina's mouth, "Shh be quiet or else Yue might get killed!"  
  
"He's already dead!" She muttered her face pale with terror.  
  
"He's alive Kina, we need to focus on saving him!" Hotohori whispered hoarsely.  
  
"You're lying!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. She knew Yue might be ok but the shock of seeing her fiancé chained up and pale by the woman she hated made her snap. All that had happened lately was too much for her, not after all they had been through together before he proposed and why would he leave her? Was it for Tigress? That witch?! Did he really want to marry Kina? If he ran away because of one stupid girl, would he run away from Kina again?  
  
"Kina, stop it!!" Nuriko turned and shouted, trying to keep it at a quiet level. "He's not lying; it's true!! It's true!! Yue is FINE!"  
  
Kina stepped towards Nuriko and yanked him back. "You have no clue what you're talking about!!" she roared. "You don't understand! Yue left me for her and this is her idea for revenge, she's killed him! And you both keep feeding me this bullshit!"  
  
"It's not bullshit!!" Nuriko shouted back, trying once more to pull himself away from his friend's forceful grip, and this time…this time… Kina went sprawling on the dirt, propelled by the force of Nuriko's move.  
  
"How the…what did I DO?? What did I do??? Was that me??" Nuriko yelled mentally at himself.  
  
Kina's eyes were as wide as Nuriko's. The other four stared, standing in silence and shock. Nuriko was frozen except for his heart, which was now pounding hard enough to shake his entire body. Finally after staring at his hands in silence, Nuriko looked up at Kina panting on in the dirt with a face full of horror.  
  
Nuriko made a gulping sound, he was trying to say something, he didn't know exactly what; but before he could find the strength to do so, Kina had scrambled to her feet, and ran off into the darkness. Everything inside Nuriko screamed at him to go after her. But he couldn't. The best he could manage was staring after her, mouth half open, shouting at her mentally to come back, please come back, and hoping for some sort of special bishonen telepathic connection. Unfortunately, the magical powers that came with the job description did not appear to include such accessories.  
  
Suddenly, there was worried breathing coming from above Nuriko as Hotohori asked, "Are you alright?"  
  
Nuriko gave a jerky little nod, trying to keep his lip from shaking and betraying him. Not that Nuriko wasn't already betrayed by his expression and position as a whole. Not that a little shaking of the lip would really make a difference where judging his state of all rightness was concerned, "Knew she'd flip out," Nuriko murmured, "Just didn't think something like this would happen and so close to the wedding.  
  
Hotohori wrapped his arm around Nuriko's shoulders and hugged him for a minute, for which Nuriko was grateful, even though he still wanted to pretend that he could look at the situation from a purely logical and unemotional perspective. 


	10. The Grand Disappearing Act

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 10  
  
"We should go after Kina," Nuriko said in a feeble voice.  
  
"Well," Hotohori said, "You're the one who knows her the best. Do you think she'd be better off alone to deal with what just happened?"  
  
"You know her well too." Nuriko went into deep thought.  
  
"Hello?" Shiva waved her hands in front of them, but they just ignored her. She shrugged and walked over to Chichiri, "We'll just watch."  
  
"Is she ok? Because normally, I'd say alone, but…this is too big…and it's not like it's stuff about her family or friends, it's Yue. It's ME. Her best friend started shoving her physically away. Hotohori and I are usually the one she vents to. Normally, I'd say alone, but…" Nuriko thought out loud.  
  
"It's all right," Hotohori said calmly. "We'll find her. She'll be alright."  
  
~*~  
  
Kina ran, like she always had done before.  
  
"I've got to stop doing this, all I do is run. But isn't it ok to run from things that hurt? No, not always." She thought to herself as her feet crunched the leafs she was trampling over, "If I always run away things will never be worked out and it'll just end up in a mess. Why do I always run? Why can't I just face everything like a normal person? And here comes the tears, always crying. A cry baby. Be strong Kina, go back there and help Yue. Maybe he's dead but if he's not, what kind of person are you to abandon him? Surely not a wife. Or fiancée. I'm not worthy even to be his friend."  
  
The tears dropped down her cheek and into the dirt ground. The words she was thinking to herself felt like a slap in the face. They always say that in the books, but it's true; that's what it feels like sometimes. A slap in the face, and like a hand squeezing her heart so hard that it was almost too much to bear  
  
"You see?" Kina made herself say out loud, her voice shaking. "Even now, I'm glad I've been with Yue for so long of a time. I don't regret meeting Yue and taking him in or having Arashi tell me the truth about my parents. I don't regret it. Because like it or not, it's a part of who I am. You can't forget the bad stuff; it just doesn't work that way. You just have to overshadow it with good stuff, good memories. The past can hurt, but you…you have to be able to look back and laugh at your problems! That's the only way to show them who's the boss. The bad stuff isn't really bad if you have friends to help you! Nuriko and Hotohori where only helping me and I went and ran out on them. No more running out anymore Kina, no more. Never again will you run from your problems or the friends that are helping you. Now let's go back and apologize." She shook her head, wiping the tears away, amazed at her own little speech as she turned and ran back the way she had came.  
  
~*~  
  
"Tigress is waiting for us." Shiva crept over to the group; "I heard her say, 'just wait for them to come my pet.' My gosh, that woman scares the crap out of me!"  
  
"Hey you guys, I'm sorry." A tiny voice whispered quietly as Kina walked out of the shadows. When had it gotten so dark? It was nighttime already. She had heavy bags under her eyes and looked eerily sad and sedate, "I guess I can be a pain sometimes, always freaking out when something bad happens. I just couldn't take it if something happened to any of you or Yue."  
  
"It's ok, I'm sorry I pushed you like that. I don't know what happened to more; guess everything was catching up to me. But we can't focus on this right now, we need to save Yue!" Nuriko gave Kina a quick hug then turned to the others. A mental image of Yue strapped back by the chains make her shiver with anger, pain and fear. Suddenly, she had a flash back of something that had happened about a day after Yue had proposed to her. She had walked into her bathroom and was staring in the mirror at her reflection sadly.  
  
~~ Flash Back (Kina's POV) ~~  
  
"Look at yourself." Yue stood behind Kina as she stared into the mirror.  
  
And I saw myself. I saw unkempt, self-cut red hair. Skin that was too pale, eyes that were too big, a few freckles on the skin, skinny everything, big ears covered by my hair. All in all, a pathetic little figure. My hair hung limply around my ears, as hair has a tendency to do. My eyes were rimmed with bruise-like circles and bags; those combined with the skin and the build made me look like some dying18th-century prisoner.  
  
"Should I tell you what I see?" Yue said softly. Before I could decide whether "yes" or "no" was a safe answer, he had continued, "I see the person I love. The woman for whom I've spent my entire life searching for, who sacrificed so much for her friends and me. Kina. You've got nothing to be ashamed of. You're a beautiful person, inside and out. But I wouldn't care if you looked like a freak, as long as it was you, Kina, on the inside. I wish you could see that. I wish you could see it."  
  
"I look in the mirror and see myself, and I say to myself, Kina, who are you kidding? You think Yue would trouble himself over someone like you? You're disgusting! And it's plain that he doesn't want anything to do with you. Who would? I can't see what Yue wants me to see. All I see is me. But isn't it something, to know that he sees more?" I think to myself, then I turn and I hugged him around the waist, not wanting to look him in the eye yet. My cheeks are red, blushing madly, "Someday, you'll see. Just remember, every time you look in the mirror…that I don't want anyone else but you. Try to convince me otherwise, and I will laugh in your face." Yue leaned down and kissed Kina.  
  
~~ End of Flash Back (Back to narrator) ~~  
  
Tears filled in her eyes but she quickly blinked them away, "Let's do it!"  
  
"Ok, here's the plan." Shiva bent down, her eyes glowing with anticipation.  
  
Her red hair wavered in the slight breeze as the trees around her shook. Her mind wandered but at the same time she tried to pay attention to their plan. She thought about the memory she had just had, ah memories have a funny thing with popping up at the right moment to make you feel better. Or make you sad. But suddenly she found herself thinking about how she felt insecure sometimes, "I suppose anyone could be insecure, because when you're inside yourself, you can't see what others see. And it probably takes a lot of effort for people to see themselves as they really are." She thought to herself, then tried to concentrate on the plan again.  
  
"So you're saying we surround her, have Chichiri transport Hotohori and I right above Tigress, drop on top of her while the rest of us ambush her and free Yue." Nuriko raised an eyebrow at Shiva's plan.  
  
"Yeah!" With her hand raised in the air, Shiva pointed out a finger, "Let's gooooo!!" And the group all ran to their positions, but when they peeked out at their target, no one was there.  
  
"Hey...where'd she go?" Kina's eyes widened in anger as she looked around, not a soul in sight, "That little witch ran away!!!!!!!!" her voice bellowed.  
  
"Look at this!"  
  
A small paper fluttered on the ground, held down by a rock. Nuriko began to read it out loud, "I know you all are out there. If you want your darling Yue back, come and find us. We'll be waiting at the Pools of Love. Signed, Tigress."  
  
"Pools of Love?" Hotohori looked around in confusion, "Where's that?"  
  
"It's a place about a few miles from here. There is a shrine built to the goddess of love, Venus and pools of hot water surround it. They call it the Pools of Love because it is legend that if you are to jump into the pool of water and say a prayer to Venus, she will grant the lover's wishes. If they are meant to be together forever, Venus will reign their life with happiness and bless their union. If they are not meant to be, then the pools will curse them both, making their life literally a living hell and whenever anyone looks at them, they will see what they fear most. And if their lover looks at them, they too will see what they fear most. Basically, it drives everyone away from them, even their so-called lover." Kina finished.  
  
"Ouch. Do you think she's planning on taking Yue into one of the pools with her?" Hotohori questioned Kina.  
  
"Either way, I don't want to wait to find out. We need to find them and FAST! If she takes him in there, there is no telling what'll happen!"  
  
And with that the group headed off to the Pools of Love.  
  
~*~  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
"Why are you so heavy Yue!??! Drop a few pounds for goodness sakes! Give up the Twinkies!" Tigress silently cursed at the unconscious figure she was dragging him behind her in chains, "We'll show them Yue, we'll be together forever after we take a dip in the Pools of Love. Then nothing can stop us, nothing can stop me!" She chuckled as a psychotic look formed on her face.  
  
~*~  
  
As the group trudged on through the muddy Earth, Kina thought to herself as she looked up at her friends, bathed in moonlight, "My soul had been so empty, and for so long, before I met all of them. And once I had them…my heart and soul was whole again. If any of them die, if any of them are taken away from me…I wouldn't be able to bear it. That's why it's better me than them, because I can deal with pain and with death. But I couldn't bear it if part of my soul was torn away." She thought to herself as her foot sunk into a puddle of mud.  
  
"CRAP! THESE ARE MY NEW SHOES!" She angrily shrieked as if the mud could hear her yelling at it.  
  
"Shh, we're almost there." Nuriko turned with a finger held up to his mouth.  
  
"Thanks you guys." Then her blue eyes began to sparkle with happiness at how much she loved her friends.  
  
"You're welcome." They all replied and smiled back at her, the same happiness shining in them.  
  
"Too bad Arashi isn't here yet, she's love to kick some Tigress butt with us!" Punching the air, Shiva burst out laughing, "With her Frying Pan of Doom!"  
  
"She may not be here hitting Tigress physically, but I know she's nailing her mentally!" Kina gave Shiva thumbs up; "We're here." Her eyes glanced up at the immense marble statue before her. It was of a woman wrapped in golden robes with long flowing hair; it was Venus.  
  
~~  
  
A/N: I have no idea where this came from...  
  
And now...Lauren's random twisted part of the story! O_o  
  
Nuriko: "You know her well too." Nuriko went into deep thought.  
  
Hotohori: "Yes, we all know her too too well."  
  
Yue: Good enough to make one go insane  
  
Nuriko: They're right when they have that saying about knowing too much info. This is one for example  
  
Lauren: Be nice! Or I'll tell him what you REALLY did to the table Hotohori! Or what you where really doing with the whip cream in Bishonen of February, Nuriko! Or or what Yue wears under his long drapy clothing (a pink tutu)!  
  
Yue: I do not! Shut up!! They all attack Lauren  
  
Hotohori: We know her too well, we should have known she'd do this!! 


	11. The Pools of Love

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"Stupid booby-traps! Glad I learned how to run with great speed! Like the wind!" Tigress muttered to herself as she sat by the Pools of Love. Slowly she began to doze off as she waited for Kina to arrive; she wanted to give that girl something to remember.  
  
Organ music began to drift with a soft melody in the air as Tigress stepped forward. There was Yue looking handsome in a tuxedo, his white hair flowing in with his black jacket. Her glass high heel shoes clicked quietly on the floor as she walked closer, closer to her love as he stared into her eyes. Closer to her goal, her dream, her so-called destiny. A long silk see- through veil covered her face coming down from a tiara buried in her black hair. Her dress rustled as she walked, it was covered in shimmering beads and a sewn floral design. Tigress was almost to him; this was her moment of glory. Suddenly she stopped. There was Kina, her red head was wearing the same veil and wedding dress as Tigress but she had appeared next to Yue and he was staring into HER eyes. Yue took Kina's hand as they turned to the priest and said vows.  
  
"Wait Yue..." Tigress whispered in a cracked voice.  
  
"I, Yue, promise to have and to hold Kina in sickness and in health until death do us part." His strong voice said calmly.  
  
Fury and hurt grew in Tigress' eyes as the words "Until death do us part" echoed over and over and over again in her mind, "NOO!!!" She screamed in agony when she was suddenly jerked awake. She was back by the Pools while the cold night air nipped at her skin.  
  
"It was just a ... stupid ... dream! Soon, very soon you'll be all mine! I just want to see the look on your beloved Kina's face when she sees you and I together forever when we dip into the Pools of Love!" Her voice cackled with demonic laughter, there was no more Tigress left in her. The demon was all that was left; there was only hope that a tiny bit deep inside her possessed the true girl that had once loved Yue. Now he was just an obstacle to her, it was all a game.  
  
~*~  
  
"We have to be careful you guys! Everyone whose come here has either never returned or they where cursed by the Pools. But Venus will only let in certain people. Venus is not stupid, when this shrine was built she set up traps and tests because she knew if thousands of lovers came to the Pools chaos would break out. So it is all a test to see if you are worthy to even face the Pools of Love." Kina warned them as they crept closer to the shrine. Two giant marble columns created an entrance to the shrine with a statue of Venus in the center.  
  
"How does she select who goes in?"  
  
"How am I suppose to know? I've only heard rumors about this place." Kina replied to her friend Shiva.  
  
"You should go first." Nuriko nudged the red head forward.  
  
"Ok, here I go!" She closed her eyes and slowly stepped forward, as she walked pasted the statue and the two tall columns, they began to glow a bizarre yet brilliant orange and yellow. Once she got to the other side, the colors faded away, "Got past!!!" Kina jumped around and gave them thumbs up. Nuriko and Hotohori stepped forward and through the columns as the light came and went as before.  
  
"Your turn Shiva! Then Chichiri and Mistukake!" Nuriko grinned, so far so good. Shiva proceeded to walk through the columns, there was more light and then she was on the other side.  
  
"YESSSSS!" She hugged Kina, "Come on over Mits and Chiri!"  
  
The two bishonen walked through, making it past the test.  
  
"Keep your eyes open for traps." Kina squealed just as a boulder hanging by a metal rope swung down at them, "DUUUUUUUUCK!!!" She grabbed Nuriko's braid and pulled him down just as the boulder past above them, luckily the others where quick enough to duck also.  
  
"That was a close one." Nuriko let out his breath.  
  
"It's not over yet!" Kina's eyes grew serious as she observed the trees around her, her mother always told her tales of heroes who risked uncertain doom to enter the Pools of Love with their lover, "Ok everyone, stay down and run as fast as you can. Duck LOW! One, two, THREE!" They all ducked down and sprinted as fast as they could through the grove of trees as arrows shoot out of no where at them, embedding themselves into various items such as other trees.  
  
"AAAHHH!" Shiva cried in pain as an arrow chose to embed itself into her arm. From behind, Chichiri picked Shiva up and ran as the group finally made it past the field of arrows.  
  
"Are you ok, no da?" Chichiri questioned as Mitsukake pulled the arrow out of Shiva's arm quickly. Shiva gritted her teeth in pain but Mitsukake rapidly healed her.  
  
"You do remember you can only fully heal one person per day Mits, no da?"  
  
Mitsukake nodded yes in reply. The group promptly proceeded forward, "Look out!" Nuriko picked up the group and jumped over the trap door on the ground. As they continued forward, vines began to snake out of the ground, wrapping around their ankles. They where covered in sharp thorns.  
  
"Get them OFFFF!" Kina yelled, kicking at the vines and running straight ahead, "Hurry people!" The vines wrapped around Chichiri and Mitsukake, for they where far off behind everybody else in the back, getting the worse of the vines. It seemed like everything they did was futile, no matter how hard they fought them off, they kept coming back and with more-sharp needle covered vines. They burned and cut at their skin.  
  
"GUYS! NO!" Shiva yelled, trying to run back to them as the vines pulled and tore at her legs.  
  
"It's ok, you go on ahead. We'll be fine!" Mitsukake yelled forcefully at his trainer, ripping the vines off of him and Chichiri. As they got most of the vines off of them Mitsukake grabbed onto Chichiri as they disappeared into his cape. They reappeared back at the front gate of the shrine.  
  
"Jeez, that was close, no da!" Chichiri smiled at his friend.  
  
"Thanks." Mitsukake grinned back, "Now we must wait."  
  
"Why can't we just catch up with them, no da?"  
  
"Watch." Mitsukake stuck his hand out at the shrine entrance but it only hit the air, as if it was running into a wall, "Once you've entered the shrine you are not given another chance. I heard once that every trap is different for each person so no one can tell what traps will set off for them. Let us hope they make it to Yue."  
  
"I see, no da. Let us pray, no da." The monk gazed on at the statue then knelt to pray to Venus to allow Kina safe passage.  
  
~*~  
  
"Nuriko, that was crazy-" Kina was cut off as Nuriko 'shushed' her and told her to be quiet. His arm crossed her chest as a sign to stop. And, of course, that's what she did. In front of them was Tigress with a still unconscious and chained up Yue, and behind them both where the Pools of Love. They where filled with steaming, bubbling water but it had a twinkling orange shimmer to it and the water sparkled with every ripple and splash. The Pools let off the sweet smell of lavender flowers as the steam rose and with a flash separated into the air.  
  
Kina turned around to Shiva and whispered in her ear trying to take away a little bit of the seriousness, "I hope nothing important falls off since my freaking world is getting turned upside down." Or she said it mostly to calm her own self down so she wouldn't run away from it all again.  
  
Shiva snorted in quiet laughter.  
  
~~  
  
The sky isn't always blue,  
  
The sun doesn't always shine,  
  
It's all right to fall apart sometimes.  
  
I am not always you,  
  
And you are not always mine  
  
It's all right to fall apart sometimes.  
  
After all is said and done  
  
One and one still is one  
  
When we cry, when we laugh.  
  
I am half, you are half.  
  
~~  
  
Suddenly, a memory popped into her mind as she swore someone was singing the song. The four of them had all been out on a picnic before Tigress showed up. Kina had climbed up into one of the oak trees and Yue had walked under the tree, looking up at Kina. And he began to sing one of the few songs he knew, "One and One" by Robert Miles. He sang it for her. And only her.  
  
Kina's eyes wandered over Yue worriedly. He didn't look too good. Dried up mud was caked over his clothing as it cracked in some places. His skin looked deadly pale and translucent in the chilly night air. There where bags under his eyes and it almost appeared as if he had bruised ringlets as a purple color was around his eyes. His white hair was mud splattered also and twigs stuck out in the white. A small trickle of blood was coming down his neck as a cut sliced across his cheek. The moonlight streaked through the darkness causing the mist from the Pools to dance in the air.  
  
~~  
  
A heart isn't always true  
  
And I am not always fine  
  
We all have an angry heart, sometimes  
  
After all is said and done  
  
One and one still is one  
  
When we cry, when we laugh.  
  
I am half, you are half.  
  
Look how far we have come  
  
One and one still is  
  
One moon (one moon), one star (one star)  
  
I love the one we are  
  
One thread (one thread) One line (one line)  
  
Lets stand still in time...  
  
~~  
  
And then there was Tigress, smiling like a maniac. Well, she IS a maniac. Either way, her dark hair and outfit blended in with the darkness of the night. Her pale skin lit up giving her a ghostly look and her eyes where glowing an eerie red color.  
  
"Tigress must have used strong drugs on him." Kina thought to herself.  
  
A diminutive movement caught Kina's eyes. Yue was stirred. He was alive. And gaining consciousness.  
  
~~  
  
One moon (one moon), one star (one star)  
  
I love the one we are  
  
One thread (one thread) One line (one line)  
  
Lets stand still in time...  
  
After all is said and done,  
  
One and one still is one  
  
When we cry, when we laugh.  
  
I am half you are half  
  
Look how far we have come,  
  
One and one still is one  
  
Ooh 


	12. Lightening of Love; Darkness of Death -T...

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Her heart stopped, she swore it literally stopped as she looked at Yue. His hand had twitched, she swore it had!  
  
"Yue..." Her body lurched forward only to be quickly pulled back by Nuriko's strong grip.  
  
His purple eyes shifted at the four people around him, "Same plan as before?"  
  
Hotohori nodded gravely but then stopped, "But Chichiri isn't here to transport us above her!"  
  
"True. Hmm." Shiva looked down at the dirt, taking a sudden interest in the lint in her pocket.  
  
"I'll run and tackle her." Kina grinned and raised her two eyebrows.  
  
"No way, too risky!" Nuriko protested.  
  
"Hey, it's a risky situation in general. I love Yue and I'll risk my own butt for him. It's my choice any ways. We out number her 5 to 1." She replied.  
  
"I wouldn't be to sure of that." A guffawing voice said as Heero Yuy stepped out of the shadows, the same Heero that Kina had spotted walking with Tigress many days ago.  
  
The five all quickly took up battle-like stances.  
  
"I've got him." Hotohori's eyes narrowed, "You just take care of Yue."  
  
"I'll help too!" Shiva jumped in as Hotohori dove at Heero, throwing a punch which he dodged quickly.  
  
"There's too much noise, Tigress must know we're here!" Kina yelped as she turned back and looked through the bushes.  
  
Heero fell to the floor as Hotohori smashed him with the hilt of his sword. He pulled himself up and dove at the chestnut haired bishonen. Little did he know Shiva was preparing her stash of firecrackers just for him.  
  
Shiva turned to Kina, giving her an evil look with a wacky grin. Kina gave her an 'I know what to do' look back as she looked back to where Tigress was.  
  
"One, two..." Shiva pulled out a pack of matches and began to strike them against the box. Kina prepared to run out and tackle Tigress. Nuriko froze, he knew what they where planning to do.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" But before he could stop them, a blast of light flew up and lit the sky as Shiva chucked the firecrackers up Heero's shirt. Loud booms and flashing lights cast shadows upon the trees as fire erupted.  
  
(A/U: No offense to Heero lovers out there!)  
  
"All in a days work!" Shiva hid behind some trees to get away from the fire but as she stepped backwards a firework triggered off another booby trap. The same vines as before shot out of the ground and latched onto Hotohori, Nuriko and Shiva. Heero had been reduced to a pile of ashes by now.  
  
"Aiiii!" Kina screeched as she made a mad dash for Tigress. She braced for the strong impact as her body crashed against Tigress', "You messed with the wrong person!" She pulled back her arm as she punched Tigress across her face.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Tigress' eyes filled with crimson red hatred as she kicked Kina off of her. Jumping up, she spun around and kicked Kina in her stomach.  
  
Nuriko, Hotohori and Shiva all struggled against the vines, unable to help out their friend. Kina ducked as Tigress threw another punch at her then she used the spike of her heel to smack Tigress in her knee. Then Tigress grabbed onto Kina's hair and pulled it with all her might as Kina screamed in pain.  
  
"No, I can't let her win. I can't, for Yue! Ahh!" Kina struggled to get free from Tigress' grip.  
  
Everything was a blur; slowly it began to come into focus. Then he saw it right before him. It was a nightmare. All a nightmare, but why wouldn't he wake up? He saw Nuriko, Hotohori and Shiva held with piercing vines wrapped around their hands and legs, pinning them down in an upright position. Then he saw what he feared most. Tigress was holding Kina up into the air; her hands clutched around Kina's throat as Kina struggled to get free of the treacherous grip. Tigress had no pupils in her eyes, they where all pure red.  
  
"NO ONE WILL DEFEAT ME! YUE IS MINE! MINEEEE!!" She cackled as she tightened her grip.  
  
"K.. Kina..!" Yue gasped as he forced the words out of his dried up throat. He began to struggle, pulling at the chains but with each movement a shock of pain went through his body. Tigress had put a curse on the chains and a strong one at that.  
  
"Y-Yue, you're alive. You're ok. I'm glad, I couldn't stand to see you suffer." Kina managed to squeeze the words out of her throat, feeling as if this would be her last breath. And maybe it was.  
  
Yue closed his eyes and pushed harder on the chains, pulling and tugging, trying to get free as pain shoot through his entire body, "AGHH! K-KINA!" He pushed harder and screamed against the pain, "I'LL SAVE YOU!" He shouted putting all his strength and concentration on getting free and saving his love. His little angel. His Kina. Yue's one and only Kina. He couldn't lose her, he had just found her, and he just couldn't lose her now. Their life and future together was only beginning, he couldn't let it all end like this. Blue and silver lightening crashed around his body as an earsplitting scream pierced the night air; his eyes turned a pure white color. Thunder rumbled over his scream and the lightening crashed into the ground, causing rumble to fly in various directions. Then all the lightening focused onto the chains; all Yue could feel was pain. But it was all worth it, for the one he loved. His hair flashed between silver and white as it flew in every direction. Then it all happened at once. The black chains began to crumble around his body, reducing to mer dust particles. His scream pierced through Tigress' ears as the trees around them splinted and the vines disintegrated. Tigress' eyes widened as she stared at the sight before her. Yue's head tediously turned and faced Tigress, staring into her eyes. His eyebrows rose as the ground around him crumbled and yet miraculously the Pools still remained untouched. His shirt shredded into pieces as the lightening still crashed around him, then it all began to strike the ground around them all as he rose his arms into the air then brought them down before him. The lightening swirled and gathered into a ball in his hand as he muttered, "Demon, be gone!" as the lightening went into the ball causing it to grow larger, then with a giant cracking sound it shot at Tigress, piercing through her stomach but strangely not injuring Kina at all. Gaping, Tigress dropped Kina to the ground then fell onto her knees.  
  
"This isn't happening! Why are you doing this to me Yue? Why? Yue wouldn't hurt me! He wouldn't! It wasn't my fault! It was all the demons fault. ALL THE DEMONS FAULT! You... you know I would never ever hurt you. After all, I love you, like I promised I always would-d." Her voice stuttered as her chest heaved up and down in sharp breaths. Then the red took over her eyes, mist formed all around her body as black smoke rose all about her mixing with the red, "King of Darkness, do as I requested! Strike this beast down with one blast! Noooo..answer me King of hell and darkness!" Her voice hissed, but it wasn't her voice anymore. It was the demons. The black and red mist flew up into the air then slowly disappeared as Tigress laid limply on the muddy ground.  
  
The lightening around Yue disappeared in a flash, as quick as they had appeared. His body paled briskly and his hair floated down gently around his shoulders. His white eyes returned to their blue color but they quickly dilated as his body stumbled backwards. He wasn't at the Pools anymore, he was somewhere else. All around him where flowers of all sorts, apple blossoms, cherry trees, lilies and daisies.  
  
"W-where am I? Is Kina all right?" Yue walked forward, amazed he was ok as he looked down at his body, "What did I do back there?" Slowly he lifted his head up and tears formed in his eyes at what he saw. Standing only five feet in front of him was his mother and his father and the little Tigress he had once known. The Tigress that had died on that faithful day he had stood her up on accident.  
  
"M-mom? D-D-Dad? What's going on? I thought you where all dead." He wiped the tears away from his face.  
  
"We are. Yue, we'll always be here watching over you. But keep living, we can always wait for you to come join us. It isn't your time to die yet. You've got a lot of time to live and a lovely girl to spent it with. You can get old with each other and sit around in the sun. We love you and we'll always be with you." His mother softly spoke the words to him.  
  
His hand reached out to touch them but fell limply to his side, "I love you too." Then he gradually spun around, turning his back to them. Soft crying sounds could be heard from him then they stopped. He could hear Kina's voice calling for him, "I've got to go now, someone is waiting for me." Yue turned his head around and smiled at the ones he held so dear to him and at the same time he was returning to his one true love, "I'll see you all again one day. Thank you." He turned back and ran through the flowers as they're petals flew up and brushed against his skin, "I'm coming Kina!" His voice echoed as his eyes slowly opened to see that he was still standing up, the crumbled ground all around him.  
  
Yue looked at Kina, at her smiling face as she ran to him. But she saw something that he didn't. The curse on the chains was now in action. It was said if he escape the chains the darkness was to strike him down through his heart. To take his breath away. And here he thought he had just escaped death when he escaped out of the chains, using up all of his strength. 


	13. There You'll Be

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Above him a black swirl of dark energy formed, aiming directly for him. Kina was still running at him, her arms spread open to embrace him in. But she stopped as she saw the darkness forming. The air smelled of the darkness' stench, blood and hatred. It all has a smell. Her eyes widened in horror as the black ball shot towards Yue, electric bolts all around it. Then she ran and ran with all of her might as her eyes met Yue's. Suddenly, he realized what she was doing. His kept screaming to her, "No! Stop!" but all she said as a reply was, "I'll do it because I love you. Don't be mad at me!" and that was the last thing he heard her say as she ran up to him, their eyes meeting for a brief moment. With all her strength she pressed her hands against his chest and shoved him out of the way, shielding him with her own body. It all had happen so quickly he couldn't move, his legs where frozen in shock as the black ball ripped through her chest. Yue flew into the dirt as she had shoved him, looking up he screamed as he saw her eyes widened in pain as the ball shot out of her back and faded away. Kina's body slumped forward as she went crashing into the dirt, landing on her chest, her arms sprawled out causing her hand to hang over into one of the Pools of Love. A puddle of crimson blood formed around her and ran down her arm, dripping into the Pool. The blood vanished as it trickled into the orange water. Yue's eyes filled with dread, panic, shock, pain, agony and compassion. She couldn't leave him, he had just returned for her and she couldn't leave. She still had to complete #1 on her list of things to do before she dies; she has to get married to him!  
  
Nuriko began to scream in horror, "NO GET UP YOU IDIOT! YOU JUST HEALED YOUR HEART DISEASE, DON'T DIE NOW!" as hot tears poured down his face.  
  
Shiva turned towards Hotohori and buried her crying face into his chest as his own tears streamed down his face.  
  
Yue pulled himself up and made a mad scramble for Kina, "KINA!! KINA!!!! NO!!" Tripping, he continued to pull himself along the ground, he didn't care, as long as he got to her side.  
  
Tigress lifted her head up gradually, "What a fool, to risk ones own life for another." Her raspy breath slowly escaped her lips as she watched Yue scramble over to the still Kina. Her skin began to pale as Tigress felt the cold breath of death creeping down her neck causing goose bumps to form all over her.  
  
"S-She made the ultimate sacrifice for the one she loved." Shiva turned and snarled at Tigress in between sobs, "She is the most brave and noble person I have ever known!"  
  
Tigress looked up as she heard a voice speaking to her, it sounded a lot like Kina's and it said to her, "It's ok Tigress, all is forgiven. I know you couldn't help what happened." Tigress nodded yes as tears of regret formed in her eyes.  
  
Yue scrambled to Kina and finally reached her limp body where he gently turned her on her back, pulling her upper half of her body onto his lap. There he cradled her against his chest with his arms wrapped around her, rocking back and forth while sobbing.  
  
Nuriko ran over and began shaking Kina as he screamed at her, "YOU IDIOT! You s-said you would b-be fine! You're a l-liar! Don't wuss out on me now!" He cried as he grabbed onto her shoulders and shook her harder, "Don't die now, you need to get married and have Hori and I some grandkids!"  
  
Yue's voice was shaky as sobs racked his breath, "Don't leave me now! Why you? Why not me?!?!" He shouted, "Little Angel, don't fly away just yet. There's still so much I have to tell you. I didn't get to tell you know much I love you!" His fist pounded into the ground causing his knuckles to crack and bleed. The ground shook for a brief moment as Hotohori paced over to them like a zombie with a look of frozen horror on his face. Shiva still had her face buried in his chest, unable to face the cruel reality that had just unfolded before her.  
  
"S-She had saved my life. She was always there for me and she took away all the loneliness that had been a part of me before I met her!" Nuriko grabbed onto Hotohori's hand, "And she brought us together. Kina you can't go just yet, I still need to repay you!!!"  
  
Shiva's lip began to tremble as she felt for Kina's pulse, "Screw this all! I hate you Tigress! I HATE YOU!" A steady stream of tears flowed down her cheeks now faster, "She has no pulse." The words barely made it out of her throat as she muttered them.  
  
Nuriko looked down at Kina's now white face, soiled with blood and dirt as the salty tears began to flow harder. He remembered when he had been a little boy and was living with Kina after her parents had died. He had been walking through the rain, life crushing down on his shoulders when he saw a little girl crying in the rain. Nuriko had held his umbrella over her and from that day on, his life had changed.  
  
~~  
  
When I think back on these times  
  
And the dreams we left behind  
  
I'll be glad 'cause I was blessed to get  
  
To have you in my life  
  
When I look back on these days  
  
I'll look and see your face  
  
You were right there for me  
  
~~  
  
"Mommy, look at this dumb bishonen!" A little boy ran and began to pull on Nuriko's braid.  
  
"Let go!" Nuriko winced in pain as the boy yanked hard on it.  
  
"No, you can't tell me what to do! You're just a bishonen!" The boy laughed then spit into Nuriko's face.  
  
"Leave my friend alone!" Kina ran over and pushed the boy. She had been getting them both drinks, "Nuriko is way cooler than you!"  
  
~~  
  
In my dreams I'll always see your soul above the sky  
  
In my heart, there always be a place for you for all my life  
  
I'll keep a part of you with me  
  
And everywhere I am, there you'll be  
  
~~  
  
"Where have you two been?" Kina demanded of the pair when they came into the kitchen. "You weren't making out on the stairs again, were you?"  
  
Yue spit out his orange juice in the middle of a sip. Coughing, he managed to sputter, "What?!"  
  
Kina grinned. "Gotcha! I was just kidding!"  
  
Yue groaned and took another sip of orange juice.  
  
"It's not a bad idea, though..." Hotohori noted.  
  
Yue's orange juice once again decorated the tablecloth.  
  
Nuriko took his place at the table somewhat nervously. He cast a worried glance at Hotohori, which was replied with a reassuring smile. Kina walked over to him and slammed a plate of pancakes down at his place. Feeling somewhat bold, Nuriko asked, "Um...are you still mad about last night?"  
  
Kina gave him the Heero-Yuy-Patented-Glare-O'-Doom and simply said, "Look at your pancakes." Then she turned back to the stove.  
  
Nuriko looked down at his plate. On top of the pancakes, "I'm Sorry" was spelled out in ruby strawberry slices. He smiled.  
  
~~  
  
Well you showed me how it feels  
  
To feel the sky within my reach  
  
And I always will remember all  
  
The strength you gave to me  
  
Your love made me make it through  
  
Oh, I owe so much to you  
  
You were right there for me  
  
~~  
  
Memories flew through Shiva's mind. They had known each other since birth, neighbors for years and best friends forever.  
  
Hot tears freely streamed down Kina's face and Shiva quickly hugged her friend as Kina buried her face into her shirt and cried. Not tears of anger or of hate, but of loss. She was letting go and it hurt, but it would be ok tomorrow. She had her friend Shiva with her.  
  
More memories came and went.  
  
"Kina," Shiva managed to get in between mouthfuls, "I have the best idea. Meet me outside after breakfast with as many stuffed gorillas as you can find, some rubber boots, and a liter of honey. It'll be just like the old days!!"  
  
A piece of waffle lodged itself in Kina's throat, and she began to cough. Whether it was in shock at Shiva's statement or because of the waffle was debatable.  
  
Shiva stood up abruptly. "Hey, Kina, you OK?"  
  
"It's OK, no da!" Chichiri called. "Mitsukake knows the Hiemlich maneuver, no da!"  
  
The healing bishonen obligingly got up from his seat and placed his strong arms around Kina's abdomen. In one swift movement, he jerked his hands up into her diaphragm and the offending waffle flew out across the table.  
  
"OK, now that's just gross," Shiva noted.  
  
"Oh, thanks ever so much for being worried about me," Kina grumbled. "Here I am, your best friend hacking out a lung on your table, and the best you can manage is 'that's gross'?"  
  
Shiva sniffed. "Don't write me off as being completely self-absorbed yet...I was worried about the table!"  
  
~~  
  
In my dreams I'll always see your soul above the sky  
  
In my heart, there always be a place for you for all my life  
  
I'll keep a part of you with me  
  
And everywhere I am, there you'll be  
  
~~  
  
Hotohori remembered when he had felt so alone, wandering through the forest aimlessly. It had begun to rain and his clothes where soaked through and through. Everywhere he went it was the same thing, crazed trainers trying to catch him, not for who he was but only for what he could do for them. The wolves where now attacking him, pain went through his leg as they bit into him. Then a purpled haired bishonen called Nuriko fought them off as Kina ran over and helped Hotohori, taking him home for treatment. The memories all flashed before him.  
  
"Can't sleep?" The purple haired bishonen whispered to Kina.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Mean either." Hotohori sat down along with Nuriko and Yue.  
  
"Thank you, all of you." Kina turned towards them, she could vaguely make out the outline and creases of their faces.  
  
"For what?" Nuriko leaned back into the cold grass.  
  
"For showing me who I am. The real me. The me who likes to make people happy. Nuriko and Hotohori, you both made me remember that.  
  
"Your welcome. Thank you for giving us both so much." Hotohori replied on behalf of himself and Nuriko.  
  
His heart did a funny little flip-flop.  
  
"Hoooooooriiiiii...." a voice whispered in Hotohori's ear.  
  
"Mm?" he murmured sleepily.  
  
"Hoooooriiiiii...."  
  
The dark-haired man rubbed his eyes with one hand. "Hold on, Nuri." His eyes slowly fluttered open.  
  
He promptly screamed.  
  
"Gosh, Hori!" Kina complained loudly. "I'm not *that* ugly. Geez! You overreact to everything!"  
  
"Sorry," the older man mumbled, embarrassed then he chuckled softly.  
  
Nuriko, reacting to his fellow bishonen's scream, shot up straight in bed. "Miaka! It's not what you think!! Really!"  
  
Hotohori and Kina stared at him.  
  
"Oh...heh heh...'morning, everyone," the braided 18-year-old greeted them.  
  
~~  
  
'Cause I always saw in you  
  
My light, my strength  
  
And I want to thank you now for all the ways  
  
You were right there for me, you were right there for me  
  
For always  
  
In my dreams I'll always see your soul above the sky  
  
In my heart, there always be a place for you for all my life  
  
I'll keep a part of you with me  
  
And everywhere I am, there you'll be 


	14. I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Yue's trembling hand gently brushed a piece of her hair and tucked it behind Kina's ear as his own tears fell onto her cheek. With his thumb he wiped away his tears off of her face, smudging the blood.  
  
"It look's like she's just sleeping." Hotohori mumbled to himself or anyone that was listening.  
  
"No, no she can't be dead! She just can't!" Shiva stepped backwards, wrapping her own arms around her stomach. She shook her head then ran into the shadows of the trees where she leaned against a tree trunk. Shiva slid down so her knees where up by her chest and she sat there staring into nothingness while tears spilled down her cheeks.  
  
Hotohori pulled off shirt and with three quick strides he dipped it into the Pools of Love, soaking the orange liquid into his white shirt but making sure it didn't touch his bare hands. Then he walked back to Kina.  
  
"She should look pretty, like she always does." He said to Yue as he gently wiped the blood and dirt off of her face, neck, arms and her other skin that was showing with his wet shirt. Gently, with his hands he brushed her hair so that it laid down smoothly like it always had.  
  
"She's just sleeping, she'll wake up soon." Yue took a deep breath, this wasn't happening to him. He couldn't comprehend it all.  
  
~*~  
  
Kina was flying now, in the air as the cool breeze caressed her face. A trail of snowy white cloth dangled from her hair, a wedding veil. She was wearing a wedding dress; it had glittery flowers sewn all over it and had silvery straps that held onto her shoulders. Folds of white satin and silk interchanged with each other, dragging below her feet a good foot. The torso was fairly simple, just a few embroidered designs that managed to match the rest of the dress's style. On the shoulders where a pair of white silk rosebuds, that by touching them, they bloomed. She wore white gloves that went all the way up to the middle of her biceps. She was flying towards Yue, her one and only true love. Hotohori was right; his shoe had led her to her prince. She gently landed next to him as butterflies fluttered into the air where her feet now stood. All around them where apple blossoms, their flower. Yue's hand gently lifted through the air and landed tenderly on her cheek where Kina put her own hand on top of his and smiled. Then the ground began to rumble as the sky darkened. Lava began to burst through the ground, shredding the flowers and shattering the serenity that had once been all around them. She ran towards Yue but the ground between them began to crack open and fill up lava.  
  
"Yue!!!!" Her voice echoed through the air as she tried to reach him but it was all in vain, he was too far away, "No!! Yue!!!" She stopped suddenly as her voice disappeared and now she was floating in darkness. The colors around her changed from black to blue to pink to purple then it stopped at a light yellow. Standing before Kina now was a beautiful woman. She had long hair that flowed down past her knees, fluttering in a small breeze that had appeared out of no where. She had clear green eyes and her hair was blonde but as it grew down to her waist it changed to a red-like color. Her cheeks where rosy pink and her lips where a crimson red. The woman was wearing a silk orange dress that interchanged to a yellow color with each fold. It was off of her shoulders and pulled tight on her arms then met with crystal brooch on her torso. The dress tightened as it went down to her waist, fitting her every curve. On her arms she had orange gloves that ran from her elbow to her hand where her fingers each stuck out of the glove and golden bracelets dangled from each of her wrist, covered in diamonds and other precious jewels.  
  
"W-Who are you?" Kina whispered in awe at the woman in front of her.  
  
"I am Venus." Her serene voice replied to Kina's question.  
  
~*~  
  
Yue's eyes wandered to the wedding ring he had given to Kina, it was still on her finger. Looking down at Kina, he ran his hand through her hair as tears kept flowing. He didn't know what to do. Then the memories came, to torture him, to remind him of how much he loved her.  
  
~~  
  
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing  
  
Watch you smile while you are sleeping  
  
While you're far away and dreaming  
  
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender  
  
I could stay lost in this moment forever  
  
Well, every moment spent with you  
  
Is a moment I treasure  
  
~~  
  
Kina let loose a scream of frustration and hurled the nearest medicine bottle at the door without bothering to empty it of its contents. Glass and brightly colored spheres were littered across the floor. Tears continued to pour down her face as she turned away from Yue. For a moment he thought she had calmed down, but that idea was laid to rest as she grabbed an ornate perfume bottle and heaved it at the door. The floral scent seemed completely out of place in the violent setting as tinted glass carpeted the floor.  
  
"That's enough, Kina!!" Yue yelled, trying to regain some control of the situation.  
  
Her response was an angry, threatening glare in his direction. Her breathing was as ragged as Yue's had previously been, and her eyes were tinted red with hot, angry tears. She didn't look like the Kina Yue had known.  
  
"Leave me alone!!" she growled.  
  
"No! I can't! It's impossible for me to leave you alone!" Yue told her forcefully, crossing the distance between them in two lengthy steps. She picked up another perfume bottle and readied her aim. Before she could make a move, though, Yue had encircled her tightly in his arms. Her eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of regret. All she could see was silver and feathers as even Yue's wings held her to him. Her arm dropped to her side and the perfume bottle fell to the floor. She wrapped her arms around him and wept with all her heart.  
  
Later on, Kina woke up to find Yue asleep next to her. She was under the covers while he was sleeping on top. He had carried her to his room and let her sleep in his bed.  
  
The room was quiet for a moment before Kina spoke.  
  
"Yue?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
~~  
  
I don't wanna close my eyes  
  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
  
'Cause I'd miss you, baby  
  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
'Cause even when I dream of you  
  
The sweetest dream would never do  
  
I'd still miss you, baby  
  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
~~  
  
Kina turned towards Yue, "You didn't have to do this for me." She looked around at the fancy French restaurant he had treated her to for her birthday.  
  
He grinned, "This is only the start."  
  
"You mean there's more? Yue you shouldn't have!"  
  
"Shh." He put a finger to her lips then smirked. A song began to play, "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole.  
  
"Would you care to dance?" He stood up and put his hand down to Kina's.  
  
"Yes please." Kina giggled as the two walked out onto the small dance floor. He put his arm around her waist and with the other hand held her hand. She put her arm around his shoulder and took his hand as the two swayed slowly. Yue looked into Kina's eyes; getting lost in their deep blue color that was like the ocean. She was unforgettable. He let go of her waist and spun her around then his hand returned to her waist. He had just realized how much Kina meant to him. The two walked back to the table as the song ended. Yue reached into his pocked and pulled out a long, velvet black box. Kina's eyes blinked slowly as he opened it and inside was a silver key on a thin, silver chain. He gently took it out of the box and hooked it around her neck.  
  
"Oh Yue, thank you!"  
  
"You have the key to my heart." He whispered to her softly.  
  
Kina swore her heart had stopped for that brief moment, as the two leaned closer.  
  
~~  
  
Lying close to you  
  
Feeling your heart beating  
  
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming  
  
Wondering if it's me you're seeing  
  
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God were together  
  
And I just wanna stay with you  
  
In this moment forever, forever and ever  
  
~~  
  
A shadow blocked the sun on Yue's face for a brief second before he was shoved under the water. Coughing and sputtering, Yue rose to the surface to see Kina laughing her head off. They where at the ocean and he had been peacefully floating in the water.  
  
"Why you little...!" Yue flashed with anger then started splashing Kina with fury.  
  
"Hey!" Kina laughed then splashed Yue until the two where having an all-out water war then his eyes widened in horror as the wave crashed down on him and Kina. It sent both of them tumbling under the water in a mess of sand, while they struggled to rise above the water to get a breath of air. Both their bodies rammed into Nuriko and Hotohori's legs, causing the two to join Kina and Yue under the water. They all sat up, breathing in air, fresh, sweet air. Yue glanced at Kina, "Remind me to never listen to you!"  
  
Then she burst out laughing, "That was so fun!" her smile widened as she splashed Yue. His eyes narrowed.  
  
"That sucked!" He held his tongue, thinking of some "colorful" words that he could yell at Kina.  
  
~~  
  
I don't wanna close my eyes  
  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
  
'Cause I'd miss you, baby  
  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
'Cause even when I dream of you  
  
The sweetest dream would never do  
  
I'd still miss you, baby  
  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
~~  
  
A voice called to her. She spun around to see Yue walking towards her. Around them cherry trees swayed in the wind, causing the small blossoms to fly all around the two people. He finally caught up to her and proceeded to catch his breath.  
  
"Ready to go?" Yue smiled, he had been leaning down with his hands on his knees but now he stood up straight.  
  
"Yes. Can you believe it, it's been two whole weeks since we met." Kina gently took his hand.  
  
"Yeah, and it's all going by slowly, like syrup, sweet and yummy. I never want it to end."  
  
Kina tensed when Yue said he didn't want it to end, she knew it would have to one day. She shook the thought out of her head quickly and smiled, looking up at him.  
  
"Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Did you know that? I know it's a bit early, but I was wondering, will you be my Valentine?" Kina held out a small box of chocolate for Yue.  
  
He grinned and took the box, "Of course." He replied, squeezing her hand gently. The two walked towards the festival, with cherry blossoms floating all around them like it was all a dream.  
  
~~  
  
I don't wanna miss one smile  
  
I don't wanna miss one kiss  
  
Well, I just wanna be with you  
  
Right here with you, just like this  
  
I just wanna hold you close  
  
Feel your heart so close to mine  
  
And just stay here in this moment  
  
For all the rest of time  
  
~~  
  
Kina slowly stood up and walked towards Yue's room but stopped as he emerged, "Hey! Just who I was looking for."  
  
"You shouldn't take this risky procedure." He peered into her eyes with a strange determination.  
  
"No, I'm going ahead with it." She stated firmly, putting her foot down hard as she stepped towards him, "What does it matter, you're leaving when February ends! Remember when I first met you? I made you vow you would leave at the end of the month."  
  
His eyes looked towards the floor. She was right, he had vowed to.  
  
"Sorry about that, it wasn't my intention to bring it up really." She stepped closer to him. "My goal is to make you see the world however, now I've discovered something about myself. I've learned there's an ugliness in me that wants your love for myself shared with no one. Could you love me, could you ever despite that?" Her heart began to pour itself out to him, she knew this could be the last time she would ever see him. He stepped next to her and gently rested his hands on her shoulder.  
  
"Because of that I love you." He muttered.  
  
"Thank you. That's why I'll take the risk, even if it's only 11%." She looked down sadly; her heart was being torn into two.  
  
"Even if you lose every single memory of the time we spent together, even if the entire universe comes between us, I would find you and we'd start all over again and again even if it takes a life time." He whispered tenderly into her ear. Tears formed in the brim of her eyes but she quickly blinked them away.  
  
~~  
  
Don't wanna close my eyes  
  
Don't wanna fall asleep  
  
'Cause I'd miss you, baby  
  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
'Cause even when I dream of you  
  
The sweetest dream would never do  
  
'Cause I'd still miss you, baby  
  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
~~  
  
A large apple flew down at Kina, nailing her in her head.  
  
"OW!" Kina jumped up, looking around while rubbing her head. A white haired bishonen looked down at her from his perch high up in a tree. He turned his head away when suddenly the same apple hit his head.  
  
"What?" He yelled in shock, falling down from the tree but the large pearly wings on his back helped ease his fall.  
  
"It's rude to throw things at people!" Kina glared up at person who was hidden in the shadows of the tree.  
  
"Look whose talking!" Yue grinned as he stepped out into the light.  
  
"Yue....? You....you...didn't leave!" Kina leapt towards him and wrapped her arms around him.  
  
"I love you Yue." Their lips brushed softly then Yue let go of her gently, leaning down on one knee.  
  
"I love you too Kina. I've only known you for a month and yet it seems like I've known you forever. As I once heard someone say, we've got now and that's all anyone has. So will you spend now and forever with me? Kina, will you marry me?" He produced a gold band with a tiny diamond on the center.  
  
"Yes!" She flung her arms around him again as he slid the ring onto her finger. Yue stood up, picking Kina into the air and he began to swing her around in a circle then he sat her back on her feet. For once in his life, Yue finally felt complete.  
  
A soft wind caused her hair to fly around her face as Yue pushed some of it back. Her grin widened as tears brimmed on her eyes, tears of pure joy and happiness.  
  
~~  
  
I don't wanna close my eyes  
  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
  
'Cause I'd miss you, baby  
  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
'Cause even when I dream of you  
  
The sweetest dream would never do  
  
I'd still miss you; baby  
  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
~~  
  
"Mmm." Yue mumbled to himself as his eyes slowly opened. Everything was blurry but it slowly came into focus. Yue felt something heavy leaning on his shoulder but as he shifted to look he felt a sharp pain in his back. He turned his head to see Kina sitting half on the floor while her head and arms where on his shoulder; she was sleeping peacefully. He noticed she was still wearing her concert clothing.  
  
"She's been sitting here with me the whole time! And she fixed me up." He thought to himself and smiled at the redheaded girl, oh how much he loved her! He looked at the bandages around his wound and the new clothes he was wearing. Yue looked down at Kina, his little angel. Carefully, he reached down and brushed back a strand of her hair that was in her face. He brushed the hair behind her ear and then smiled as tears formed in his eyes. He quickly sniffed them away and then walked to her room. Walking back, he placed her blanket around her along with her Bunny. He blushed as he leaned down to kiss her forehead, then he stopped. He stood up and leaned down again and his lips brushed against her cheek as he kissed her. She smiled in her sleep peacefully.  
  
"Good-bye my love. I'll be back soon, I hope." He slowly stood up then walked to the door. He cautiously opened the door then paused as he held it open, standing up tall in the doorframe. With one last loving glance he turned around and left to end all the chaos that had erupted since Tigress' arrival.  
  
~~  
  
Don't wanna close my eyes  
  
Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah  
  
I don't wanna miss a thing  
  
I don't wanna miss a thing 


	15. Renewed Hopes - Forgiven Dreams

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 15  
  
"Venus? The Venus that this shrine is made to?" Kina's voice trembled as she stared at the woman in front of her.  
  
"Yes silly, who else would I be?" Venus' laughter filled the air with a sweet melody to it.  
  
"Why are you here? Speaking to someone like me? Am...am I dead?" The redhead stepped closer to Venus.  
  
"Yes, well no. To them, you are." Her hand flew into the air while glimmering sparkles fell from her arm and a small mirror appeared before Kina. Inside she could see Yue crying over her body.  
  
"OH-MY-GOSH!" She ran to the mirror and grabbed onto its edges, "YUE! Guys! I'm ok! I'm right here!" Kina yelled into the mirror.  
  
"They can't hear you. I have seen the chaos all of you have caused in my shrine and it angers me that such hatred can exist in this world, but I have seen strong love. It makes me ashamed to know that people can have so much anger, pain and malice inside of themselves but then I see you and that boy you love, it changes my views. You have shown me that even in this world that has so many horrible things happening in it, there is always love, hope and faith. With your compassion you saved that girl, Tigress, from the demon that had taken over her body. Sadly, she will die but at least she is free from the hatred that had consumed her soul. I shall be merciful and spare your life little one. Be thankful for the strong love and the bond you share with all of those people in that mirror. They have saved your life, just as you had saved theirs in ways you don't even know you have."  
  
Kina nodded as tears streaked down her cheeks, "T-Thank you."  
  
"You are welcome. No one has ever entered the Pools of Love and come out together with their lover. All have failed, if there is any single doubt in your mind, you and your lover will be torn apart forever. I challenge you to enter them with the one you love. I will not be merciful when you enter the Pools and I will judge everything I see inside your mind and your heart. Now go little one, go to the one you love." Venus lifted her arm into the air, spraying Kina with a mist of silvery water and her body began to fade.  
  
~*~  
  
"Yue, Look!" Nuriko's eyes widened in shock as the blood that had once been around Kina's body disappeared. The giant gash in her body began to come together and in a flash of light, there was not a single scratch upon her body.  
  
"K-Kina!!" Yue ran to her side.  
  
"Mm-mmm..Shooting stars" Her head slowly shook side to side as her eyes tediously flickered open. Everything was blurry for a moment then gradually it came into focus, "Y-YUE!! It worked, I-I'm ok..." She managed to mutter.  
  
Suddenly, Nuriko, Hotohori and Shiva where all leaning over Kina as tears of relief and joy fell from their eyes.  
  
"Don't you ever do that again!" Nuriko nudged Kina's shoulder lightly.  
  
"Yeah, or I'll be forced to pound your face in!" Shiva gaped in shock, she swore Kina had been dead. But it didn't matter; all she cared about was that her friend was ok.  
  
"Oh, KINA! I love you so much! Don't ever scare me like that! I thought I had lost you forever and I-I..." Yue began to cry with relief, grabbing onto her and burying his face in her shoulder.  
  
"V-Venus...She saved me. She saved my life. Because of you guys, she saved my life. You all saved me. T-thank you so much!" Kina reached out for her friends, bringing them into a tight embrace, "But I promised Venus I would enter the Pools of Love with Yue..."  
  
They all looked up as an orange bird sang angelically from the trees above them. The bird had long, gorgeous glistening orange feathers that let off an aura of light. Yellow speckled all over its body and it had two tall feathers that stuck out of its head.  
  
"That must be Venus." Hotohori looked up. This had all been too much for them, after this they would have believed anything.  
  
Kina wrapped her arm around Yue's waist as he supported her and picked her up to her feet, "Thank you Yue."  
  
"Anything for you." He looked into her sparkling blue eyes, "Oh how I have missed those eyes! Are you sure you want to do this?"  
  
"Yes. Are you?" She smiled hopefully at him and waited for his reply while trying not to put any pressure on his decision, "It is totally up to you."  
  
"Well, we've come this far haven't we."  
  
"Yes, we have Yue." She nodded.  
  
He looked at the ground then back up at her, "I believe after this, we can do anything. So let's give it a try!"  
  
Tigress' body began to glow with a strange blue light that began to emerge from it and merge together to form the shape of a person. Standing before them now was Tigress but she was transparent and everything she touched her body went straight through it. She was the spirit of Tigress, free of the demons that had haunted her for so long, "Huh? Why am I here? What do you suggest I do now? There's no one here who I love." Tigress' voice questioned.  
  
The bird above them cawed in encouragement as Kina and Yue both told hold of each other's hand and stepped toward the Pools.  
  
Tigress began to walk towards them, reaching out with her own hand, "You mean you would enter the Pools knowing for well what the consequences could be for you both?!"  
  
"Yes." Yue answered firmly.  
  
"If there's even the slightest doubt in your hearts-" Tigress tried to warn them.  
  
"We would be separated for all eternity, right? Cursed forever. Kina and I know the consequences and we're even a little bit scared. B-but I'm not letting go of her hand, I want to spend the rest of my life with her." Yue calmly replied as Kina blushed.  
  
"Ah-" Tigress stopped and watched silently as the two stepped into the crystal-like orange water. Ripples engulfed the water's calm surface as they stepped into the Pool of Love. Their bodies slowly submerged as they turned and stared into each other's eyes. Yue squeezed Kina's hand softly and smiled then they both took a deep breath and dove under the orange, lavender smelling water. As they're heads went into the water, all of their friends gather around waiting to see what was going to happen. A brilliant light flashed from the water and filled the forest clearing with shimmering golden light as if it where daytime already.  
  
"My eyes-!" Nuriko muttered as he tried to block the light with his hands.  
  
With another flash the light was gone and darkness returned. But no one could see anything because their eyes where still adjusting to the dark. Sunlight began to pierce through the night sky as the sun slowly began to rise and strangely a rainbow flowed down from heaven into the forest as Kina and Yue both rose back above the water surface. They carefully stepped out of the water, their clothing and hair dry, as it was when they walked into the miraculous water. Kina turned to face Yue and smiled happily, blushing. Then she turned back to Tigress, "I hope this answers any questions you have. People can find the strength to overcome their obstacles. Everyone can."  
  
"So that was it, I know I didn't carry enough faith in myself. I am to blame, I was afraid that Yue would never show up and he didn't. I became upset and obsessive, letting myself become vulnerable to the shadow demons. But I must put that behind me now." Tigress looked up at the bird, "Venus told me that she would allow my spirit to live here, coming and going from the spirit world so I will remain here. I will guard the shrine. If other lovers come along to test their devotion, I will tell them to have faith because people like you where once here." She stepped back into the shadows as her spirit faded, "I am sorry for what I have done. Thank you so much for setting me free." Tigress turned but stopped as Yue began to speak.  
  
"I'm sorry I broke my promise. I will never make a promise again unless I am sure that I can keep it. I'm glad I remembered my past with you and my family, even though it hurt. I am glad because you can't live in the present if you can't move beyond the past."  
  
Tigress blushed, "And I have been living in the past." She turned and then disappeared as a stream of warm tears fell down her cheeks, tears of pure joy and happiness. Something she hadn't felt for a long, long time. Her soul was soaring in the sky, finally completely and utterly free.  
  
Tears had been forming on the brim of Kina's eyes but Yue gently wiped them away. She looked up at him and began to speak, "It's sad to think that others will still be hurt and suffer and I'm afraid to say that we won't be any exception. But learning from the past and loving others, living life fully and keeping your dreams and hopes alive. I firmly believe in my heart, that these are the keys to a wonderful future. I see myself fortunate that heaven has seem fit to grant my selfish wish, to remain here by your side, Yue." She looked into his eyes as they're faces gradually came closer to each other. Soon their lips brushed against each other delicately then Kina turned to Nuriko, Hotohori and Shiva, "Thank you for everything. I love you all so much!" She ran and embraced all of her friends as Yue joined the group hug.  
  
"We're pathetic!" Nuriko laughed as the purple haired bishonen pointed out that they where all crying, including himself.  
  
"Let's go home." Shiva laughed as they all broke from the hug. Yue put his arm around Kina's shoulders to warm her up.  
  
Nuriko took a hold of Hotohori's hand and muttered to him, "I wonder if that Pool will work for us?"  
  
Hotohori winked at Nuriko, "I know we'd make it through."  
  
The orange bird flew above them as it encircled the shrine, singing into the morning sunlight.  
  
As they neared the exit, Chichiri and Mitsukake ran up to them.  
  
"Did we miss anything important, no da?" The blue haired bishonen eagerly questioned his trainer.  
  
"You missed everything."  
  
"Darn it, no da!!!" Chichiri frowned.  
  
"We'll fill you in on the way home." Shiva laughed as they all continued walking.  
  
Kina glanced behind her as the shrine faded in the distance. She swore she could see Venus standing by the entrance with Tigress next to her, then Kina muttered, "Thank you Venus. And thank you Tigress, for opening my eyes to the world." She smiled and turned back around to see Yue watching her. Kina quickly blushed as he kissed her lips and chuckled softly.  
  
"We've got a wedding to plan!" Shiva shouted excitedly. 


	16. Dress Hunting and Startling Realizations

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 16  
  
"Dontwannagetup." Kina grumbled as she stirred in her bed while a loud pounding sounded from the front door, "Fine... fine I'm COMING!" She flung her feet over the edge of the bed and slowly crept over to the door, opening it carefully as it squeaked.  
  
"KINA!" The woman in the door squealed.  
  
"ARASHI!"  
  
"KINA!" The orange haired woman yelled as she ran inside and embraced her friend.  
  
"What is all this racket?" Shiva sleepily walked into the room.  
  
"SHIVA!" Arashi let go of Kina and hugged Shiva tightly.  
  
"Hey! It's been a while, jeez you missed all the action!" Kina laughed happily.  
  
"I'll explain later." Shiva answered to Arashi's puzzled look.  
  
Yue waltzed into the room, wearing stripped pajamas.  
  
"YUE!" Arashi then squeezed the breath out of him.  
  
"Hey." Nuriko and Hotohori both grinned.  
  
~*~  
  
"So have you planned out who will be who for the wedding?" Yue looked up from the paper he was reading to question Kina.  
  
"Well, I was thinking that Arashi and Shiva will be the braids maids, but I want to surprise them. Then Mikey would be the ring bearer and his Chibi Duo would be the flower BOY, not flower girl!" Kina laughed.  
  
"I was thinking the same thing! Then Nuriko and Hotohori could both be the best man." He replied, "So are you girls going to pick out a wedding dress today?"  
  
"Yeah!" Kina answered as Shiva and Arashi entered the room.  
  
"Well," Arashi laughed, "we're here."  
  
They entered the kitchen; where in, each of the girls were reminiscing over what Arashi had missed. All but Shiva stopped talking as they entered the room. But once they both were silent, they mobbed Arashi with a thousand 'how do you do's and 'what have you been up to's.  
  
"Ladies," Yue explained, "I'm sure you have millions of things to reminisce about, but let's keep it below 15,000 decibels, please? Thank you. I have to prepare myself, so let's try to keep a cool head." With that, he left them. They all walked into the fresh morning air, on their way to the Bridal shop.  
  
"Let's get to business." Arashi cried from the back of the room, opening a closet filled with extravagant wedding dresses, "What do you want to try first?"  
  
In all the years of being with the two girls, Kina had never been the center of attention like this before. The mob opened a line that looked like the parting of the Red Sea, only harder to actually do. Kina walked the narrow opening and slowly picked out a dress that had long flowing folds of sky-blue silk and white ribbons, a torso jeweled with diamonds and sapphires, and tight sleeves and a high collar.  
  
Meanwhile, back in the apartment.  
  
"Ok time for a corny joke, What is green and sings?" Nuriko questioned Yue.  
  
"Elvis Parsley!"  
  
Hotohori was obviously trying his hardest to keep his cool and not brake out laughing, and it visibly showed on his face. His face finally cracked into a big smile, and he couldn't stop laughing for a time. Regaining his composure, he said, "Okay, you got me good that time. But let's get serious here, we need to get tuxedos!"  
  
Soon the three where at a tuxedo store. From the corner of the store a man stepped forward, the best tailor in the town. He was fast as lightning when it came to measuring each one of them for their tuxedos. He finished practically before he started, and he ran out of the room, crying, "I'll have them to you in 3 hours." And with that, he was gone.  
  
~*~  
  
"That one looks absolutely ravishing on you!"  
  
The three girls had there own opinion on all things, and the last 15 dressed that poor little Kina tried on, it was never unanimous. Someone always had there own little problem with the dress, and the only one they all liked, Kina said she knew Yue wouldn't like it. Looking back into the closet, she still had at least 43 more styles of dresses to try. She welcomed her friend's opinions; nevertheless, she sighed at the thought of more of this unique kind of torture. She secretly envied Yue, betting that him and the guys were out having a blast.  
  
She looked down on the dress, then back at herself in the mirror. Around the neck was a ruffled high collar. Going down, the sleeves were one fold over the other, ending in golden wristbands. The torso was a work of art, with imbedded jewels, embroidered spirals and roses but it was a bit too flashy for Kina. But it was so white it made her skin look tan.  
  
"I think it makes her look sun-burnt." Shiva disagreed.  
  
"I like the jewels." Arashi added, trying to be helpful.  
  
"I think I'll have to agree with Shiva." Kina commented.  
  
Graciously taking the dress that Shiva handed her, Kina slowly walked into the dressing room next to where the whole party was. Changing into the next dress, she thought to herself: Five months. I've known Yue for only five whole months, "How long has he been in love with me? The same time? I wish I knew." She said to herself.  
  
Emerging from the dressing room, Kina was dressed in the most beautiful dress yet. In her hair was a silver and gold pin, affixed with a rose quartz in the pattern of an apple blossom. The dress she wore was mostly white but had a tint of a shimmering light pink in the material. Folds of satin and silk interchanged with each other, dragging across the ground a good foot below her feet. The torso was fairly simple, just a few embroidered designs that managed to match the rest of the dress's style. On the shoulders where a pair of white silk rosebuds, that by touching them, they bloomed. She wore white gloves that went all the way up to the middle of her biceps. The whole thing left only her neck and shoulders exposed. It had been the same dress from her dream when we met Venus. From there the dress simply glowed with beauty. Each of the opinionated women in the room were instantly drop-jawed and awe-stricken. Not one audible word passed through their lips. Kina stood in shock at their reaction, then slowly made her way to the grand mirrors on the back wall. Kina soon joined the others in their reaction.  
  
The first one to come out of shock was Shiva. "Hello! I think we have a winner!"  
  
The Arashi was next. "Where did the Goddess come from?"  
  
Soon everyone recovered, and where giving their approval. Kina smiled at her friends in the mirror, and seeing her smile, she suddenly agreed with them. It was finally unanimous. Kina was overjoyed. As she stepped into the dressing room she looked into the mirror at herself.  
  
"That's… That's..." She muttered.  
  
There were two wide eyes staring back at Kina, large, blue, clear and bright. Slowly, Kina brought her hands down, brushing the clip in her hair but her right hand came immediately back up again, going to rest against her cheek.  
  
"That's…me." She said quietly out loud.  
  
Her hair was curly in some spots, glittery in others and some was straight. Kina was still skinny and pale with those dumb freckles…but…  
  
"There's something more. There's a little something more to me isn't there? That's what Yue sees…that's what he sees."  
  
She could feel it in her heart.  
  
Kina soon had a large cheesy grin plastered across her face. It was just a little feeling, but it was something. It was more than she'd ever felt before. Mesmerized, she could only stare at herself for a whole two minutes.  
  
"Let's go home!" She walked back out of the dressing room and promptly paid for the dress.  
  
As the girls arrived home Kina crept down the hallway and peeked into Yue's room and looked across at him. He was laughing, one hand to his brow, shaking his head. He was the most wonderful person she knew; kind, considerate, gentle, understanding. He held her hand. He stayed up with her and held her on those nights when she was scared and missed her parents. He gave Kina his jacket when she was cold. He gave her the key to his heart on that cold night in February, when Kina was just a silly child and oh how much they had both grown up. He wasn't the same but neither was Kina, but the change was for the better. Not only had they learned valuable lessons and grew up from their own little worlds but also they found a strong love between them along the way. They accepted their past and the things that had gone wrong with their lives, but everyone has something go wrong sometime or another but they learned that you've just got to make the best out of it.  
  
And he loved Kina. He loved her for who she was.  
  
When he realized Kina was standing there, Yue straightened in his seat, meeting her eyes, smile fading a bit in worry. "Kina? Are you all right?"  
  
Kina smiled at him.  
  
"I wouldn't care what you looked like, as long as it was you on the inside. I wish you could see that," he'd said to Kina. "I wish you could see it."  
  
"I see it, Yue. I see it." She thought to herself.  
  
Kina crossed the room in a number of timid steps, her lower lip trembling despite her smile. Before he could worry any more, Kina dropped down next to him on the bed, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.  
  
"I love you," Kina whispered, sappy tears in her eyes.  
  
Yue was surprised, understandably…but he laid his head against Kina's, and she could feel him smiling. "I love you, too."  
  
Kina sighed happily. With these people in her life, she was the luckiest person in the world. And the best part was, their story was only beginning. 


	17. Unexpected Guest

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Kina was busily tucking the wedding gown back into its protective plastic covering when she heard a shrill scream piercing from the guest room where Shiva and Arashi had been staying. Kina had nicely hung the bridesmaid's gowns in the room for them to see when they woke up.  
  
"KINAAAA!!!" Shiva let out a scream of disbelief as she squeezed the newly discovered, plastic protected, bridesmaid's gown in her arms. The pastel pink trim peeked out from the edge of the black plastic seal, "YOU MUST BE KIDDING!! THIS IS THE BEST SURPRISE EVER!!!"  
  
Shiva couldn't quite believe it! Was it real? Was Kina joking? Shiva knew for a fact this was definitely one of Kina's bridesmaid's gowns, she had even looked it over in the catalogue with her. It was! It was! It was!  
  
"YOU ROCK!" Arashi hugged Kina. They had only known each other for about a two and a half months, which wasn't all that long, even more reason to be surprised about her surprise.  
  
As for Kina, she simply stood by her open doorway, entirely frozen with a giant cheesy grin on her face.  
  
"Kina!! I can't believe it! Are you sure? Me?" Arashi grinned at Kina. Kina's face lit up gleefully, as she rushed over and helped Arashi remove the protective casing of the dress.  
  
"Of course I'm sure Arashi!" she proudly held the dress against Arashi's shoulders; perfect fit. "Oh, you'll look stunning in the dresses, both of you! I can't wait!"  
  
"YEAH! I've been waiting for you to ask me to be your braids maid!" Shiva laughed as she looked at the stunningly beautiful dress. It had spaghetti straps and was a light glittering pink. It had a silk rose in the right corner and a sweep of rose silk that draped around the front of the neckline. It was slimming and fitted them perfectly, ending at the ankle. Arashi was still in the state of disbelief. She thought it would've been fun to be a bridesmaid at Kina's wedding since she never did get the opportunity to do something like being a bridesmaid. She was pretty certain many of the wedding details like bridesmaids had been planned out long before Arashi had even arrived at Kina's house.  
  
~*~  
  
Kina took a deep breath and looked at the phone sitting before her. She sighed softly then leaned down on her elbow, brushing her hand through her hair.  
  
"Oh John." She muttered the name of her brother. The brother that had called her in February to argue about her lifestyle, the brother that she had grew up with and yet he was so distant to her. Trembling, she picked up the phone receiver and began to dial his number.  
  
"You've reached John's residence, I'm sorry but I am not here right now please leave your name, number and a brief message." The monotone voice on the answering machine stated.  
  
"Hey John, this is Kina. I'm getting married, can you believe it? I'd like you to attend the wedding; that is if you want to come. It's on July 24th. I miss you." Kina slammed the receiver back into it's snug home.  
  
"Who are you calling?" Nuriko slid into the room.  
  
"Oh, nobody. Hey can I ask you something Nuri?" She peered up at her dear friend.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Why is John always so distant? Why do family members always have to fight so much and over stupid things?" Kina's eyes filled with emotion, yes she had loved her family and her parents. But they didn't all get along perfectly, not many people always do.  
  
"I really don't know. The best advice I can give you is to try to put the past behind you and apologize to each other. You're brother and sister." He answered and put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Yeah. Any ways. You know how my father is dead? Well, Nuri, I have no one to give me away when I get married and I was kind of wondering..." Kina grinned.  
  
Nuriko raised an eyebrow, as a huge grin spread across his face, was she really asking him what he thought she was?  
  
"Will you walk me down the aisle and give me away at the wedding?"  
  
"YES!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I FEEL SO-SO- HONORED!" His strong arms embraced his friend, but more like a sister to him.  
  
"Good, I'm glad you accept!" Kina beamed as she returned the hug then smiled at Tama and Neko who where watching them from the table.  
  
"HEY! NO CATS ON TABLE!" Hotohori sprinted into the room, spraying the two kittens with water as they ran for their lives.  
  
Suddenly, the doorbell rang out loud and clear as they all came to a stop.  
  
"I wonder who that could be...?" Kina crept to the door and unlocked it as Yue, Shiva, Arashi, Hotohori and Nuriko all gathered around.  
  
Suddenly, Shiva's memory jogged and she froze in horror. She had to act and fast.  
  
"UMM! You guys, I think it was one of those door bell ditchers! Why don't you go get something to eat and I'll, uh, hunt down the wrong doer!" She grabbed onto the handle and held the door shut.  
  
"Come on, let's just look." Yue stepped towards Shiva.  
  
"NO!"  
  
They all stared at her strangely then Arashi grabbed Shiva, pulling her away as Yue yanked the door open.  
  
"..."  
  
"Yo, hullo!" The red haired man in front of them grinned.  
  
"There's... uh.. no fire here." Arashi stated while Shiva turned bright red in the background. In front of them was Tasuki dressed as a fireman but he had his jacket on and no shirt under it.  
  
"Oh, I'm not that kind of fire man. I'm here to light the fire!" He laughed as he walked into the apartment, "Didn't know there'd be guys here..."  
  
"I sort of arranged a bachelorette party for Kina but it was way back before the whole Tigress thing and I totally forgot that I..." She tried to explain.  
  
"...That you hired a stripper!?!?!" Yue finished her sentence in shock.  
  
"Hehe.. yeah. Funny story don't you think?" Shiva gently pushed Tasuki out of the apartment, "Sorry but we're going to cancel this job but hey, here's my number." She slipped him a small sheet of paper then shut the door.  
  
Kina, Arashi, Nuriko and Hotohori all burst out laughing while Shiva's face resembled a tomato.  
  
Yue practically had steam coming out of his ears, "YOU HIRED HIM WHEN KINA AND I ARE ABOUT TO GET MARRIED!??!" He blew up.  
  
"Sorry!" Shiva winced.  
  
"Don't mind him." Kina turned and winked at her friend, still laughing, "But you had this coming!"  
  
"Thanks a lot, BEST FRIEND!"  
  
Yue angrily turned and walked into his room.  
  
"Come on Yue, come back! Shiva had good intentions!" Kina ran after her fiancé.  
  
"For who, you or me?" He turned around and flared.  
  
"Are you saying that you don't trust me?" Kina empathized the word 'trust.'  
  
"No, I just don't like the idea of what she was planning on you all doing." He crossed his arms.  
  
"Lighten up, you know there is only one person out there for me. And that's you. And I had no idea she was going to do something like that and if she hadn't have sent him away, I would have." She lightly tapped his nose with her finger and smirked, her cheeks blushing slightly.  
  
"Ditto." Yue suddenly attacked Kina, tickling her madly.  
  
"Y-YUE STOP!!!" Kina wailed while tears sprouted in her eyes until she managed to get away from him.  
  
"Girl's night out!" Arashi ran into the room and grabbed onto Kina. Soon the three girls where linked arm in arm as they marched out of the house.  
  
"Where are you going?" Nuriko questioned.  
  
"We're going to go shopping, out to eat, get our nails done. Girl stuff! We'll be back later!" Shiva replied; this was the new version of their bachelorette party. Of course they could leave out the part about checking out any good-looking guys. (Which Kina wouldn't be a part of)  
  
"You three can male-bond or something." Arashi smirked.  
  
"Sure, I'll 'male-bond'." Yue rolled his eyes as he looked over at Hotohori in a frilly apron while he washed Table and Nuriko was standing over Hori making a weird face at Table in jealousy, "Save me!" He mused as they left.  
  
~*~  
  
Kina wiped the tears from her eyes, "That was such a good movie! Brad Pitt is so cool!"  
  
"Oh I know!" Arashi swooned as they unlocked the apartment door, stopping in the doorway at what they saw. Yue was asleep while sitting upright on a kitchen chair with his head down on Table, drooling. Now normally, Hotohori would be furious if he saw anything that even resembled drool on Table, except he was pre-occupied by making-out with Nuriko.  
  
"Uh...Let's make a run for Kina's room and play Truth or Dare." Shiva laughed quietly as they all made a mad dash for the room; Nuriko and Hotohori not even noticing that someone had entered the apartment. 


	18. Amazed - Tropical Wedding

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 18  
  
"I'm the flower BOY!!!" Chibi Duo began to run around the room, chasing after Mikey.  
  
"Hold still!!!!!!!" Her voice cut through the air, Shiva was having a hard time keeping the kids under control, "Come back here so I can put your tie on!" She dove after the braided boy, hoping to get him before he causes some horrendous accident.  
  
"I get to be the ring bearer!" Mikey jumped and gave Chibi Duo a high five.  
  
"Good for you two." Shiva finished the last touches up, "Now BE GOOD and keep your out fits looking NICE!"  
  
"I wish I could marry Kina!" Mikey swooned.  
  
"Yeah, RIGHT! You're too young and she's in love with Yue!" Shiva huffed and walked out of the room, heading down to help Kina get ready and her own self also.  
  
~*~  
  
"I'm so proud of you dude." Van Fanel patted his friend Yue on his back, "But still, I thought I'd be your best man."  
  
"Hey, I'm sorry ok? I couldn't find you." Yue quickly made up an excuse as not to anger his friend. Nuriko and Hotohori, they where just meant to be the best men and he couldn't pick between both of them.  
  
"Fine, I'm going to go get a bite to eat." Van turned and walked out of the room.  
  
Nuriko impatiently pulled at his bow tie as he grumbled, "Why do they have to make these things so hard to put on?"  
  
"Here, it goes on like this." The ever faithful Hotohori reached up and, with ease, tied Nuri's bow tie.  
  
"Thanks." Nuriko grinned and blushed, then he looked over at Yue whose face seemed to have suddenly paled. Father mode instantly kicked in as he stalked over to Yue, bent down and looked him square in his eyes, "You're not getting cold feet?!"  
  
"No, no not at all." Yue backed up from the evil look of the purple haired bishonen.  
  
"Well, if you are then put on some socks! You are going to be the best husband possible for Kina and you are going to make her very happy, you got it!?" He jabbed a finger into Yue's chest.  
  
"Yes! I-I love Kina and I won't disappoint you." He winced at the hard poke and slowly backed away from Nuriko.  
  
"And if you break her heart, I'll be forced to hurt you severally."  
  
"I wouldn't dream of doing something like that! I love her!" Yue stood up, causing Nuriko to have to step back.  
  
"Good." A huge, goofy grin grew across Nuriko's face as he hugged his pal.  
  
~*~  
  
"All this hair spray is killing me! Don't light a match or my head will blow up!" Kina joked as she poked her hair that appeared to be frozen solid.  
  
"Well, we've got to keep it looking nice. What if a gust of wind messes it up?" Arashi laughed.  
  
"I doubt a tornado would even mess up my hair!" Kina burst out laughing nervously, "I can't believe I'm getting married." She stared at herself in the mirror as tears formed in her eyes.  
  
"Don't cry, you'll mess up your make up!" Shiva grabbed onto Kina's hand, "Wow, you look like a princess or something."  
  
"Thanks. And I'm going to go marry my prince." She grinned as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her red hair was clipped back on the right side with a rose quartz apple blossom hair clip. The frosty veil clipped onto the back of her head and flowed down to her knees. The pale pinkish white silk dress fit her every curve as it sculpted itself to fit Kina perfectly. The sleeves clung to her shoulders as the light pink flowers decorated each shoulder and a trail of silver jewels ran along the neckline. She had a white choker around her neck with a matching flower in the center. The dress trailed behind her and in the front flowers seemed to grow out of the bottom and bloom. Gloves matched the color of the dress coming from her biceps with two silver bracelets on both of her wrists. Silver and pale pink eye shadow decorated her eyelid, glittering every time she blinked. Pink lipstick painted her lips as she smiled at herself in the mirror. She wore high heels that strapped around her ankle but you couldn't even see most of the shoes for the dress covered most of her feet.  
  
"Look at yourself Kina. This is the moment you've dreamed of, the moment you've waited for all of your life. You're going to spend forever with the man of your dreams. I'll love him forever." Sniffing, Kina turned and hugged Arashi and Shiva.  
  
"Congratulations girl." Shiva grinned, "Guess we can't go to the mall and look at guys any more. Jeez, no offense but I thought I'd be the one to get married before you!"  
  
"Thanks!" Kina rolled her eyes them smiled at her friends.  
  
"We better get a move on!" Arashi broke the scene up as she pulled on their arms, "Kina, get your earrings on then we need to drive down to the beach side. You should see it; the set up is beautiful. The guys did a great job setting it all up!"  
  
"Ok, ok! Coming!" Kina quickly put two silvery pink earrings on each of her ears then followed her friends out to the car, making sure her dress wouldn't drag on the floor.  
  
"Faster!" Arashi teased.  
  
"Did you guys realize, the place we're getting married is the same place Yue and I went swimming one day when we first met?" Kina ducked down and stepped into the car.  
  
"Nope! That's cool though. You're going to make him the happiest man alive." Shiva poke Kina's side, "You look amazing!"  
  
As the car pulled up to the beach side, Kina's eyes widened in awe.  
  
"She's so lucky!" Shiva whispered to Arashi then looked out the window. Along the beach side white chairs where lined up with a red carpet going down the center. The carpet ended with a white over hang that had been set up with a higher step for the priest to stand on. All over the white over hang where apple blossoms and thousands of colorful tropical flowers as a small breeze carried the sweet sent of the flowers in the air. There at least forty people where gathered, they where mostly people from around town that where friends with Kina.  
  
Her eyes scanned the crowd but she sighed softly when she didn't spot her brother John, "Oh well, I didn't think he'd come." She muttered to herself but smiled when the car stopped. The sand was a mix of white and tan while a piano had been set up near the 'alter'. Blue-green waves crashed into the sand as white foam surfaced. The water was crystal like and sparkled as the sun shined down upon it.  
  
As the piano began to play soft music, a priest walked onto the altar dressed in gold and white robes.  
  
Then she saw him. There was Yue, standing up tall at the end of the aisle. He was dressed in a stunning tuxedo that fit him perfectly. His white hair had been tamed and pulled back in a loose ponytail that hung down his back. A few loose strands framed his face. She felt her breathe escape her lips gently. Hotohori was already down standing next to Yue. Shiva and Arashi opened the car door and got out, fixing their dresses quickly then walked towards the aisle. Everyone's eyes turned as the two girl's saunter down the red carpet while their pink dresses fluttered in the breeze like a dove. Next Mikey stepped out; he held out a silk pillow with two gold rings on it and he walked down the aisle. Chibi Duo held a small basket filled with apple blossoms as he crept slowly down the aisle, occasionally tossing the petals over the red carpet. The pink petals stood out on the red carpet as the music began to play faster. Yue lifted his head up and took in a sharp breath as his eyes met Kina's.  
  
~~  
  
Every time our eyes meet  
  
This feeling inside me  
  
Is almost more than I can take  
  
Baby when you touch me  
  
I can feel how much you love me  
  
And it just blows me away  
  
I've never been this close to anyone or anything  
  
I can hear your thoughts  
  
I can see your dreams  
  
~~  
  
Her heart was beating faster and faster as she took soft steps down the aisle way. Nuriko linked arms with her as she leaned against him for support because she was too scared of tripping. Nuriko turned and smiled at Kina softly, tears in his eyes. He was giving away his little Kina, the girl he grew up with. The Kina that would tackle him and spray whip cream in his face when they where little. The Kina that would stay up late in a tent making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for them to eat. The Kina that would want to sleep in his room when there was a thunderstorm. And now she would be going to someone else. But they would still be together, friends forever, brother and sister. Nuriko wanted Kina to be happy, as happy as he was when he was with Hotohori. And Nuriko couldn't have picked anyone better for Kina to be happy with. Kina stared into Yue's eyes as sappy tears formed and brimmed her own eyes with tears of joy.  
  
~~  
  
I don't know how you do what you do  
  
I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better  
  
I wanna spend the rest of my life, with you by my side  
  
Forever and ever  
  
Every little thing that you do  
  
Baby I'm amazed by you  
  
~~  
  
This was his moment. Yue was getting married, MARRIED! To his little angel Kina. The Kina that had given up her life for his but their friends and love saved her. She had entered the Pools of Love and they both made it out, together. Suddenly, his mind flashed to when they had first met.  
  
"Man, I am hungry! And tired!" Kina sat down, opening her lunch that let off a mouth-watering aroma. Two small gray kittens climbed out of the basket.  
  
"Huh? What?" Where'd you come from?" She asked the kittens who meowed in return. "Oh, I see! You need a home and where hungry so you climbed into my basket!" She began to unwrap some chicken and other various foods, chowing down on it and giving some to the kittens. She chatted with the gray fluff balls while gulping down some water.  
  
"I'll name you Tama and you Neko!" A large apple flew down at Kina, nailing her head.  
  
"OW!" Kina jumped up, looking around while rubbing her head. A white haired man sneered down at her from his perch high up in a tree. He turned his head away from his victim when suddenly the same apple hit HIS head.  
  
"What?" He yelled in shock, falling down from the tree but the large pearly wings on his back helped ease his fall.  
  
"It's rude to throw things at people!" Kina glared up at him.  
  
"Look whose talking! At least I don't talk to myself!"  
  
"Hey, I was talking to Tama and Neko!"  
  
"Same thing! This is bishonen territory. Get out!" He yelled coldly to the girl, giving her an icy glare.  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Yue. Now leave or it will be your death."  
  
"I think I found February!" Kina grinned to herself.  
  
~~  
  
The smell of you skin  
  
The taste of your kiss  
  
The way you whisper in the dark  
  
You're hair all around me, baby you surround me  
  
You touch every place in my heart  
  
Oh, it feels like the first time every time  
  
I wanna spend the whole night in your eyes  
  
~~  
  
"Oh how foolish and stupid I was when we first met." He thought to himself while chuckling, "My gosh, she looks like a Goddess. And she's my wife, no one else's. She picked you Yue, out of every guy she could have had, she picked you. And you're going to make her the happiest girl alive."  
  
~~  
  
I don't know how you do what you do  
  
I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better  
  
I wanna spend the rest of my life, with you by my side  
  
Forever and ever  
  
Every little thing that you do  
  
Baby I'm amazed by you  
  
~~  
  
Kina stepped next to Yue; her eyes still lost in the pools of his own eyes. He mouthed to her, "I love you." And she mouthed it back to him. All she knew was she loved Yue and she wanted to spend forever with him.  
  
The priest began to speak, "Ladies and Gentleman, we are gathered here to witness the union of Yue and Kina..."  
  
~~  
  
Every little thing that you do  
  
I'm so in love with you  
  
It just keeps getting better  
  
I wanna spend the rest of my life, with you by my side  
  
forever and ever  
  
Every little thing that you do  
  
Oh, every little thing that you do  
  
Baby I'm amazed by you... 


	19. Apple Blossoms

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 19  
  
"Do you, Yue, take Kina to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold in sickness and in health. Until death do you part?"  
  
"I do." His voice never faltered, not once as he stared into her eyes.  
  
Kina could hear the priest saying, "Do you, Kina, take Yue to be your wedded husband...."  
  
But in her mind, she was remembering something her dad had once told her, "Love makes you go mad. It's not trying to see him every day, trying to hold his hand as often as you can. It's what is left over afterwards. And don't wait for him to ask you for a blanket, if he is cold, warm him up. If you think he's hungry, make him something to eat. And he should do the same for you."  
  
"I do." Kina muttered the words as if they might break as she said them. They where so fragile, held so much meaning she didn't want them to be lost. She wanted to hold them in her heart forever, the two words that meant she would be with Yue forever. Forever, and she didn't even want forever to ever end.  
  
Suddenly, a section from a poem she had once read popped into her mind, "When I heard your voice I somehow felt as if the two of us were being guided by fate. Gentle winds will quietly blow, night tears coming out of my eyes. Thousands of stars shine in this sky, each and everyone has its own story. As I gently stare at your profile, I'll look for the future...Somewhere in those clear eyes. They just keep smiling. Yes, Kiss me I always......want to be...in Love..."  
  
"I'm going to be smiling now and forever." Kina thought to herself.  
  
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The priest smiled.  
  
His cheeks flushed a faint red as Yue leaned down and brushed his lips against Kina's.  
  
A roar of cheering and clapping erupted from the crowd as they both turned to face their friends, their family. Everyone was crying and cheering with huge smiles on their face.  
  
"I'm so afraid it's all a dream and I'm going to wake up." Kina whispered to Yue as tears streamed down her face.  
  
Gently he brushed them away with his thumb, "I must be dreaming too. Then let's never wake up and stay like this forever."  
  
Rice flung into the air as they sauntered down the aisle. The small white rice pieces decided to get stuck in they're hair but it only made the couple laugh harder and smile larger. With an easy swing, Yue picked Kina up with his arm under the crock of her legs and the other supported her shoulders. There he carried her into the car with cans tied onto the back and in enormous white lettering, it said "Just Married" across the back window.  
  
"I-It's so beautiful." Nuriko muttered while he wiped away his tears then smiled as Hotohori wrapped his arm around him.  
  
"So we'll meet them at the reception in thirty minutes?"  
  
"Yeah." Nuriko nodded.  
  
~*~  
  
"I-I can't believe we're finally... m-married!" Kina exclaimed as her body shook with excitement. She turned and looked at him only to blush because he had been looking at her, "I love yo-"  
  
But she was cut off as Yue put a finger to her lips, "Shh. I know, and I love you too. And I want you to know that I'll always love you, forever. Remember?" His closed his eyes gently and began to sing to her tenderly as his voice stuck the first note, "I say a little prayer for you."  
  
"No silly." Kina laughed softly, "It goes like this!" She cleared her throat as the car pulled towards the dance hall they had reserved for the reception, "From the moment I wake up, before I put on my make up. I say a little prayer for you. While I'm combing my hair now, wondering what dress to wear now. I say a little prayer for you. Forever and ever you'll stay in my heart and I will love you. Forever and ever we never will part. Oh how I love you. Together that's how it must be. To live without you would only mean heartbreak for me."  
  
Yue suddenly jumped in and sang, "I'm waiting in line for the bus dear, while riding I think of us dear. I say a little prayer for you. At work I just take time, and all through my coffee break time. I say a little prayer for you. Forever and ever you'll stay in my heart and I will love you. Forever and ever we never will part. Oh how I love you. Together that's how it must be. To live without you would only mean heartbreak for me."  
  
Yue laughed as they both sang softly, "My darling believe me, for me there is no one else but you. Please love me too. I'm in love with you. Answer my prayer baby. Say you love me too. Answer my prayer. Forever and ever you'll stay in my heart and I will love you. Forever and ever we'll never part. Oh how I love you. Together, that's how it must be. To live without you would only mean heartbreak for me. My darling believe me, for me there is no one else but you. Please love me too. Answer my prayer."  
  
"I'm answering it right now." Kina leaned forward and kissed Yue softly. The car jolted to a stop. Carefully, Yue entangled his fingers with Kina's as they stepped out of the car and stepped towards the dance hall, already bustling with people arriving.  
  
"What took you all so long?" Nuriko popped up as they walked into the hall.  
  
"Traffic." Yue groaned then smiled. To the left of them where gifts wrapped in various colored paper, all piled up waiting for them.  
  
"There's my married pal!!!!!!" Van toppled over as he hugged his friend.  
  
"Van, don't tell me you're already, let's say, not sober?" Yue rolled his eyes.  
  
"W-what buddy? I'm *hic* fine!"  
  
"Ugh! Excuse me, can you keep an eye on him?" Yue asked a random person from the town.  
  
"Sure." The burly man nodded.  
  
"Thank you." Yue turned to see Kina already chatting away with Arashi and Shiva.  
  
"Girl, you are so lucky! That was beautiful! I'm so jealous of you!" Shiva attacked her friend, excitement running through her veins. Her best friend had just gotten married!  
  
"Thanks! This is so unreal!!! I can't believe I'm married!" Kina replied as she squealed happily. Grinning, she pulled out a sheet of paper and crossed off #1 on her list of things to do before she dies, "Fall in love and get married"  
  
"Hey! You have to throw your bouquet of flowers!" Arashi pointed out.  
  
"Oh yeah! I completely forgot about having the flowers!" Kina looked at the bunch of flowers she held in her hand, mostly all apple blossoms, "Attention everyone! We're going to throw the flowers and you know the tradition! Whoever catches it is the next to get married!"  
  
"Oh oh, me me! I'm going to catch it!" Nuriko sprinted over to the crowd of girls.  
  
"Hey, this is for girls only!" A woman yelled at Nuriko.  
  
"I don't care!" He mocked back at her. Everyone gathered over to watch the toss.  
  
"You know I'm so going to catch it! I'm the next to get married!" Shiva stood in a football tackle stance.  
  
"Bring it on!" Arashi glared at Shiva.  
  
Kina turned around, "Ready everyone! One, two, THREE!" She shouted as she threw the flowers over her head and into the air.  
  
"Nooooo, it's miiineee!" Shiva sprinted after the bouquet as the mass of girls tripped over each other and soon a pile of people where sprawled out across the floor. Suddenly, the flowers landed in the hands of Hotohori who instantly blushed crimson red.  
  
"NO FAIR! He can't catch it, he's a guy!" The same woman complained.  
  
"Well congratulations Hotohori! You'll get married next!" Kina laughed as she hugged the chestnut haired bishonen.  
  
"I wonder to who!" Nuriko teased Hotohori.  
  
"Oh I wonder!" Kina rolled her eyes then did a perfect imitation of Nuriko's voice, "HOOOORRRIII BABY! Hot-o-Hoooorii!!"  
  
"Be quiet! There's people here!" Nuriko blushed a dark red that matched a tomato.  
  
"Time for cake!" Yue called over to his wife. He liked that, his wife, his Kina. His one and only love. The girl that stole his heart. And he knew when he had said cake she would be by his side in a millisecond. And he was right.  
  
"Cake? Oh, the cake I picked out so long ago! Yummy!" She dragged Yue over to the towering iced mass that resembled a cake covered in peach colored flowers.  
  
"Wow, that's huge. It's amazing, you picked out such a great looking cake! And the people on the top look just like us!" He picked up the large butcher knife, "Ready?"  
  
  
  
"Thanks! Yeah, I'm ready!" She put her hand on top of his as they cut the first piece and soon they had handed out a slice to everybody.  
  
"Mmm.. this is mfh good!" Shiva said as she chewed.  
  
"Talk when you're done eating!" Arashi laughed and jammed Shiva in the side with the side of her elbow. She winked at her friend, "Ready for the dancing to begin?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I am!"  
  
Author's Note: Sorry to cut it short! Well, in honor of the marriage of Kina and Yue (finally ^_^; ) I've decided to go and get them a gift! But Kina, being so unselfish, told me to let the gift be a bonus for all of you! Do you ever wonder which character, from Bishonen of February or Promises Are Made For Keeping, you are most like? Well, go to this web site and take the survey to see what character you are most like!  
  
http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=bishie 


	20. Forever

Promises Are Made For Keeping  
  
Chapter 20  
  
"Chink chink" The noise of a fork tapping against a glass quieted the mass of people quickly.  
  
"I'd like to make a toast to Kina and Yue. I've known Kina for almost all of my life. I've known Yue for only about six months and I just know he's the perfect man for Kina. People, if you could have seen these two you'd understand how meant to be they are. Everyone has someone out there for them, you've just got to be patient and you'll find them. Half the time you find each other when you stop looking or when you least expect it. Any ways, I am blessed to have known these two wonderful people and I want them to be forever happy, together." Nuriko finished as he lifted his glass and everyone clinked they're glasses together.  
  
Kina blushed as she gave Nuriko a 'thank you' look.  
  
Her brown hair swayed as Shiva bobbed her head to the left trying to catch Yue's attention. Suddenly, his eyes widened, as he finally understood what she was trying to tell him. He nodded in reply then stood up, "Excuse me for a moment!" Yue kissed Kina's cheek affectionately as he waltzed past rows of people eating and stepped behind a makeshift stage.  
  
With a rapid flash, the stage lit up with brilliant golden light. Yue stepped up to the microphone.  
  
"What's going on?" Kina blinked unknowingly.  
  
"Hello everyone! Kina and I would like to thank you all for coming and for all the wonderful gifts. We're happy we have such friends as you all." Yue looked at Shiva, Arashi, Nuriko and Hotohori then turned back to Kina, "I wrote this song for Kina yesterday and I'd like to sing it for her."  
  
Kina briskly blushed then beam with a radiant smile.  
  
Yue pulled the microphone out of the metal hook then with quick steps; he was standing next to Kina as he held out his hand to her and he began to sing.  
  
~~  
  
I'll be loving you forever  
  
Deep inside my heart you leave me never  
  
Even if you took my heart  
  
And tore it apart  
  
I would love you still, forever  
  
You are the sun  
  
You are my light  
  
1 And you're the last thing on my mind, before I go to sleep at night  
  
You're always around  
  
When I'm in need  
  
When troubles on my mind  
  
You put my soul at ease  
  
~~  
  
Kina trembled as she absorbed his words, his voice, as he sang the song he had written for her. He gently took her hand and pulled up so she was standing in front of him. Gently he wrapped his arm around her waist and held the microphone up to this mouth in his other hand. Yue led Kina out onto the dance floor and began to sway as he kept singing.  
  
~~  
  
There is no one in this world  
  
Who can love me like you do  
  
That is the reason that I  
  
Wanna spend forever with you  
  
I'll be loving you forever  
  
Deep inside my heart you leave me never  
  
2 Even if you took my heart  
  
And tore it apart  
  
I would love you still, forever  
  
You are the sun  
  
You are my light  
  
And you're the last thing on my mind, before I go to sleep at night  
  
You're always around  
  
When I'm in need  
  
When troubles on my mind  
  
You put my soul at ease  
  
~~  
  
Kina blushed as she stared into the two blue pools known as Yue's eyes. Kina loved this man with all her heart and she had no idea how to put those feelings into words.  
  
And Yue blushed as he poured his heart out to Kina in the words of his song. This moment could last forever for both of them. The soft swish of her dress as they swayed, the calming music playing in the background, the click of her heels and his own shoes, the tiny noise of their breathing, the angelic words he sang. And soon he noticed people around them dancing.  
  
"Would you like to dance?" Nuriko turned to Hotohori who nodded yes in response. Hotohori took a hold of Nuriko's hand then put his other hand on Nuriko's waist.  
  
Shiva glanced around, spotted a good-looking guy and soon the two where out on the floor dancing. Arashi did the same.  
  
"Dance?" Mitsukake blushed and turned towards Chichiri, muttered the words that where barely audible.  
  
"Yes, no da!" Chichiri and Mitsukake walked onto the dance floor and soon where swaying along with everyone else.  
  
~~  
  
We've had a fun  
  
We've made mistakes  
  
But who'd have guessed along that road we'd learn to give and take  
  
It's so much more than I could have dreamed  
  
'Cause you've make loving you, so easy for me  
  
There is no one in this world  
  
Who can love me like you do  
  
That is the reason that I  
  
Wanna spend forever with you  
  
I'll be loving you forever  
  
Deep inside my heart you leave me never  
  
3 Even if you took my heart  
  
And tore it apart  
  
I would love you still, forever  
  
You are the sun  
  
You are my light  
  
And you're the last thing on my mind, before I go to sleep at night  
  
You're always around  
  
When I'm in need  
  
When troubles on my mind  
  
You put my soul at ease  
  
~~  
  
Yue spun Kina around then pulled her in close to him, so close he could feel her breath on his neck. Blushing, he leaned down and put his forehead against hers and smiled. They didn't need words; everything they felt could be seen in each other's eyes.  
  
~~  
  
And girl I pray you leave me never  
  
'Cause this is the world, where lovers often go astray  
  
But if we learn each other, we won't go that way  
  
So put your doubts aside  
  
4 Do what it takes to make it right  
  
I love you, forever, no one can tear us apart  
  
I'll be loving you forever (forever)  
  
Deep inside my heart you leave me never  
  
Even if you took my heart (took my heart girl)  
  
And tore it apart, (you tore it apart)  
  
I would love you still, forever  
  
~~  
  
"Are you sure you all will be fine watching the house?" Kina questioned Nuriko, Hotohori, Shiva and Arashi.  
  
"Yes, we'll be fine. Don't worry about us, just go and have a fun time! And be sure to call every day to fill us in ok? Promise?" Hotohori smirked at Kina happily.  
  
"I'll be heading back to the Dojo soon, so I won't see you when you get back. But please come and visit!" Arashi quickly embraced her red headed friend and sniffed away tears.  
  
"Of course I'll visit!"  
  
"I'll most likely be going with Arashi too." Shiva frowned, "Next time you visit, bring a bucket of honey and three rubber ducks and we can have some fun!"  
  
"Sure, I will. I'll miss you both!" Kina again embraced her friends. Yue hugged them also, saying his good-byes.  
  
"We get the house to ourselves!" Nuriko snickered to Hotohori.  
  
"You two, be good. I love you all! See you soon! Thank you so much, take care and be careful! Good-bye!"  
  
"No, no Kina! Remember that it's not good-bye! It's see you later!" Shiva smacked her friend's back.  
  
"See you all later!" Kina sat down in the taxi along with Yue, "Thank you again! I'll call as soon as the airplane lands!" She waved out the window as the car sped down the street.  
  
"Ready for our honeymoon in Hawaii?" Yue turned to Kina.  
  
"I can't believe we're going to Hawaii for two whole weeks! Thank you!" She squealed as she wrapped her arm around her husband. Her one and only Yue. And he wrapped his warm, strong arms around his wife. His one and only Kina. Together, forever.  
  
~~  
  
And I'll be loving you forever (forever)  
  
Deep inside my heart you leave me never,  
  
Even if you took my heart (you took my heart girl)  
  
And tore it apart, (you tore it apart)  
  
I would love you still, forever  
  
I'll be loving you forever  
  
Deep inside my heart you leave me never  
  
Even if you took my heart  
  
And tore it apart  
  
I would love you still, forever  
  
~~  
  
Author's Note: And that's the end folks! What did you all think of the story? Please review it! I'd like to send out a big thank you to Lena who supported me throughout the whole story and to Neko-chan and to Pochacco! I would have never finished the story if it wasn't for your inspiration! And guess what? I've come up with a whole new idea for another story, a sequel to my sequel! (Does that make sense?) I guess I should call it the third part of a trilogy! Either way, keep an eye out for it! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my story! Love you all! See you later, until next time! 


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